As Darkness Falls, Stars are Born
by TwilightEternal412
Summary: Revenge was bittersweet. It required no emotion, no feelings whatsoever. The only emotion you could feel was rage. Rage that kept the fire fueled in the desire for justice. But people can change, and a fire full of hate can be put out just as easily. SEQUEL TO AN UNBREAKABLE BOND!
1. Chapter One

**READERS, CHAPTER ONE OF ****AS DARKNESS FALLS, STARS ARE BORN**** HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN POSTIFICATED!**

**Wow, that was a mouthful.**

**Yes! It is finally here! The sequel to ****An Unbreakable Bond**** has been posted! I really can't wait for you to read it!**

**Also, if you are new or haven't read the first book, please go back and do so! I don't want you guys to be confused or anything! XD**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Chapter One – Charlotte's Departure and New Beginnings! – Enter the Young Outlaw Belle Starr?!**

Class Crescent Moon, usually filled with bright students gleaming with deviance and light, was now silent. All were mourning the death of one who'd sacrificed themselves for the sake of the safety of the school. They all sat in silence, praying that this person had found peace, and that their efforts were not in vain.

A group that sat in the back had taken the death of the student the hardest. They all had witnessed their friend's death, and how she had saved them all. Dani Salvatore had died for their sake. Her partner, Charlotte Radcliffe, better known as Charlie, had held her meister in her arms as she whispered her dying words to her friends. Charlie had wept for the whole week, never truly getting over the death of her friend. Death the Kid was also grieving. The loss took a huge toll on him. He had only told Dani that he loved her once… She never got to know how much he loved and cared for her. His feelings for her were beyond this world.

Maka and Soul were hanging their heads, never looking up. They realized that they'd never hear Dani's violin ever again. Her beautiful tones were the perfect melody. Black*Star and Tsubaki didn't speak all week. Tsubaki had sat in Dani's room along with Charlotte, taking in everything they had never noticed before. Black*Star had sat by the window, staring into the vast sky every night.

Crona was shivering, as the wet tears trickled down his cheek. He had more problems than one now, and Dani's death made his situation even worse.

Liz was hugging Patty close, trying to calm her sister from tears, while also trying to restrain her own. They'd grown fond of Dani, knowing that Kid was in love with her and she him. It was a tragic story to them all that was never finished.

There was an empty gap in their group that Dani left behind. She had left this world to save everyone from Sinopa's grasp. Charlie slammed her fists onto the desk, tears dropping onto it. "Why the hell did she have to leave…?"

Black*Star grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down in her seat. "There's no use crying about it. We can't bring her back."

"If there was a way we could, I'd do it in a heartbeat," Kid choked.

Charlie pulled her hand away from Black*Star. She gripped the skirt of her dress, trying to hold back her anger. "It's that damned witch's fault."

"Dani…" Tsubaki sniveled. "I miss her."

They all fell silent once again. Everyone missed her. She brought adventure, excitement, friendship, and love to every one of their hearts. What would become of them? What would become of Charlie?

Marie stood at the head of the class, holding vigil candles in the dimly lit classroom. Marie stepped up, a sparkling tear streaming down her cheek. "Tonight, we are gathered in memory of a very brave student, who sacrificed her life to save the school from a witch. Dani Salvatore was an excellent student, a good friend, and a loving girl. She had many hardships, but she always put others before herself." She looked around the classroom, her gaze stopping on the group in the back. "Would anyone like to say a few words about Dani?"

None of them stood. What could they say? Nothing would make it any better. Charlie avoided Marie's golden gaze. There was nothing that could make the pain go away.

* * *

They all walked out of the classroom, in a depressed state. Charlie shoved her fists into her skirt pockets, and faced them all with sullen eyes. "Guys, I know this isn't the time right now… But… I have an announcement to make."

All of them perked up a little, interested in what she had to say. Charlie took a deep breath. "It's been three weeks since Dani and I had claimed my parents' souls. Since they owned the business, it's passed on to the only eligible heir, who happens to be me."

An inaudible gasped escaped from their lips. Their eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets, in complete and utter shock. Charlie sighed, and began to walk again, being followed by the rest of the group. "I'm leaving for the Hamptons tomorrow morning. Since I don't have a partner, and I know that Dani isn't coming back, that I have nothing left here to do. The only way to move past this is to keep moving forward. So, I'm going to take over my granny's business, and start the Radcliffe Café anew."

"But, you can't leave!" Black*Star protested. "Who am I going to have sparring fights with?"

"Who's gonna suffice when Tsubaki's cooking doesn't satisfy me?!" Ragnarok complained.

"Oh, Charlie-chan," Tsubaki said quietly.

Liz's eyes began to water. "We can't lose Charlie-chan, too…" Patty, instead of constantly giggling her worries away, was silent for once.

Everyone was now in a worsened mood. They were losing two friends that they held dear to their hearts. Soul stepped up, and held out his hand. "It was great knowing you, Charlie. You're a pretty cool chick."

Charlie smiled, and shook. Soon, everyone was either shaking her hand, or catching her in a wide embrace. Liz and Patty squeezed Charlie tightly. "Don't forget about us, alright, doll face?"

Her breath hitched, and she returned the hug. "I'm going to miss all of you."

Maka walked up in between them, and gave Charlie a big Maka-Chop. Charlie rubbed her head, pouting. "Why did you do that?!"

"First, you're leaving because you feel that because Dani has died you have nothing left here. Second, you're going to leave all of your friends who are still mourning behind. That's cowardly. But…" Maka smiled. "I wish you the best of luck. Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. Dani is watching over us, and I know she'd kick us all in the face if we just sat around, being sullen all the time. But come back and visit you hear?"

Charlie felt her cheeks burning up, and the tears fill up in her eyes. "Everyone…"

Kid was the only one who didn't utter a word. His depression began to get the best of him. Dani loved Kid, and Charlie knew that this isn't what she would want. She stormed up to Kid and slapped him. Her lips pursed. "Stop moping. Dani wouldn't want that."

He turned his face away from her, not wanting to make eye contact. Charlie sighed and shook her head in disappointment.

Everyone said their final goodbyes the next morning, weeping as Charlie took her single suitcase from Tsubaki and Black*Star's apartment.

Black*Star along with the others walked Charlie to Death Bridge. He had a sullen expression on his face. Charlie looked at the ground. She liked Black*Star. He was probably the closest to her next to Dani. It made her heart ache knowing she was leaving him behind.

"So," Black*Star mumbled. "We're here."

It was true. The grand bridge stood proudly above the vast desert below. It seemed to go on forever, but Charlie knew that was not true. It could take you anywhere you wanted to go in a heartbeat.

"Thank you for walking me here," Charlotte said. She drew a deep breath, before waving goodbye. But her feet wouldn't move from her spot. There was something holding her back, some regrets that tied her here.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Black*Star asked.

Charlie swallowed hard, and set her suitcase down. Hands grabbed Black*Star's face, and she pressed her lips to his. She closed her eyes, but she could still feel Black*Star's shocked gaze locked on her. After she was done, Charlie winked. "Don't be so down. I'll visit!"

Leaving an overwhelmed and shocked Black*Star to the crowding of their other friends, Charlie waved goodbye to all of them and ran down Death Bridge, dreaming of a better life.

"I think I'm gonna be alright Dani."

* * *

**One Month Later - Western USA**

"Hey, lil' missy!" a drunken man called.

"Woo, I'd sure like to have her in my bed tonight!"

"Why don't you let me buy you a drink, miss?"

Two strange figures had walked into the saloon. They both hung their heads, concealing their faces from view. All the men were looking and calling out at the smaller figure, which was indeed a woman. Long strands of dark mahogany hair fell from her hood. The taller figure was clearly a young man of strong build.

The two sat at the bar, ignoring the taunts of the drunkards. It wasn't long before one drunk came up to the girl, swaying back and forth. "Hey, pretty woman. How's about you ditch this coot and take a night with me, eh?"

The girl continued to ignore the man's comments as she quietly asked the bartender, "Are you Blue Duck?"

The bartender raised an eyebrow as he set a mug of beer in front of her and her acquaintance. This girl's voice was very sweet and innocent, almost like a child's. "Who wants to know?"

"I'll tell you mine after you tell me," she said calmly as she took a sip of her beer.

He sighed and began to wipe a dirty mug. "Yes, I do go by that name in certain… areas. But those days are over. Now, a promise is a promise. Who are you?"

She chugged down her drink before slamming it onto the counter. She removed her hood to reveal her childish face and platinum silver eyes. "You don't remember me, do you?"

Blue Duck cautiously set the now clean mug back onto the shelf behind him. There was something about her that seemed awfully familiar. "I can't say that I recall your face."

"C'mon, lady," the drunk said, his words slurred. "Why dontchya stop talkin' to this ole geezer, and pay attention to more important things?" He caressed the girl's face with a rough hand. The boy who had accompanied the girl slapped it away.

"Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a lady's conversation?" he said coolly.

The drunk was taken aback, and anger crossed his face. He flipped his vest away to reveal a dagger on the hilt of his belt. "Watch it, boy. I could slit your throat right here."

The girl let out a huge sigh, and stood up from her seat. She removed her cloak and threw it to the ground. "Cole, I think it's time we finish up here. This bastard is starting to irritate me, and I haven't gotten to ask Blue Duck here any more questions because of this guy." Her long mahogany hair was tied back, with bits of shorter strands falling in her face. She had olive skin, and silver eyes. Blue duck backed away, beginning to remember where he had seen this fresh young face.

Cole removed his hood, revealing shaggy black hair and a determined smile. "I thought you'd never ask, Belle."

He was engulfed in bright orange light, and he transformed into a sleek silver Colt Thunder revolver. The girl called Belle caught him with ease, and pressed it against the old drunk's forehead. "Usually, killing old men like you keeps me awake at night. But I'm gonna have much pleasure in seeing you bleed on the floor, you damn lecher."

She pulled back the lever, and pulled the trigger. The man flew back into the wall, and twitched on the floor as the blood slowly poured out from his head. Belle turned to the rest of the drunken men in the saloon who now raised their pistols towards her. One of them held up a wanted poster with her face on it, with a reward for five grand.

"Looks like we've got a live one," he cried in joy. "Let's get her. The one who hits her gets her and that weapon's soul."

They began to fire, with Belle standing as still as could be. None of them were even hitting the target. Instead, she simply walked through all the gunfire, and shot every man's forehead on point. Every man was shot down, and when she got to the one who held up her poster, she shot through the paper, and shot him.

The saloon was now silent. Everything was now silent in the whole town. Every last one of the damn Afreets were dead. The heavy drinkers who had ridiculed her when she first entered were now bleeding on the floor, regretting ever opening their mouths. It wasn't really their fault; they didn't recognize her when she stepped in, asking for a pint.

Blue Duck cowered behind the bar counter, staring in fear of the little girl who had done all this. "Y-You're…"

Belle turned around to face him with her revolver. "You're going to answer my questions. If you answer them truthfully, I may let you live."

The bartender nodded, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Belle threw the revolver back as it changed back into Cole. She walked up, and grabbed Blue Duck by the collar. "Question number one. You were in a group of bandits some years ago, right?"

"Y-Yes," he stuttered.

"Were you the leader of this group?"

"N-No."

"How were you involved with this group?"

"I-I helped them locate new targets, and a-a few small towns with low defenses. I-I was like a tracker, you see."

Belle tightened her grip on his collar. "Exactly three years ago today, do you remember targeting a family with the last name 'Shirley'?"

Blue Duck hesitated for a split second, before answering with a shaky voice. "Y-Yes, I do. T-The group wanted a target with loads of loot, s-so I picked the Shirley Estate."

"Did they murder the entire family?"

"…I t-think so… They killed the owners and took all they could I believe…" He gulped.

"Wrong answer."

She threw the Blue Duck into the shelf of glass mugs, the glass shattering and plunging into his skin. The blood streamed from the cuts on his arms and face. He looked up in fear as Belle towered over him threateningly, with Cole standing behind her.

Cole spat his piece of tobacco on the man's face. "You're a sick man. You're responsible for the bandits' success." He looked to his young partner. "You want me to transform, Belle?"

Belle shook her head. "I'm gonna bash this son of a bitch's head in with my own foot." She grabbed Blue Duck's collar again, pushing his nose to hers. "Let me tell you a story, Blue Duck. The Shirley's had a son and a daughter. The son was a good hearted-man who owned a horse ranch just outside of town. He let his little sister visit from time to time, and taught her to shoot and ride. When she turned eleven, he came to their family's estate to bring her a present, a rifle she wished for her whole life. And you know what he came home to? Bandits stood over his parents' beaten and bloodied bodies, with his little sister hiding in her room. He was shot immediately, and the bandits left without a care about the little girl who was cowering under her bed."

Blue Duck's eyes widened in horror. "Y-You're Myra Shirley… But if you're alive, then you're only fourteen! How… I thought you died along with the rest of them!"

She slapped him hard across the face. "You will NOT call me by that name, scumbag. I go by a different name now."

"This is the ruthless Belle Starr!" Cole said with pride. "And she'll kick your god damn ass."

"I've got this, Cole." Belle raised her fist high. "Cover yourself. This is gonna get messy."

Cole blinked, before smiling and shaking his head. "Whatever you say."

She punched Blue Duck in the nose. He screamed in pain as blood ran down from his nose. "Where is the rest of your goddamn group?!"

"I-I don't know!" he cried. "We all went our separate ways after gathering enough loot for all of us!"

Belle kicked him in the diaphragm, knocking his breath out. "Tell me where they all went!"

He coughed up blood. "S-Some of the underclassmen went across the sea to England, China, even Japan…"

Belle cursed under her breath, and threw the old man on the ground. "Cole, transform. This guy's giving me nothing."

"You got it."

* * *

The two partners walked out of the saloon with their faces hidden once again. Their horses patiently waited for them just outside. Cole looked down at his partner with a big smile.

"So, where to now, Belle?"

She shrugged, and climbed onto her black horse. "Maybe we should take a plane to another country."

Cole pouted. "But where would we start? It took us this long to finally get some more information on the Youngers and their whereabouts. It'll take us months before we finally locate even one of the members in one country!"

"Then we'd better get started." Belle threw her leg on the other side of the saddle, and took the reins. "We'll need to ride into California, and get a plane to Japan. We'll start our search there. Tokyo is a massive place filled with criminals."

"I'll help you with your Japanese," Cole joked.

Belle glared at him. "Get on your horse, Cole. We'll need to-!"

"YAHOO!"

Cole and Belle shot their gaze up in the air. "What the hell…?"

A boy with striking blue hair jumped off the top of the saloon building, wielding a chain-scythe. There was a star tattooed on his right arm, and Belle recognized it in a second.

"You're a member of Star*Clan, am I correct?" she questioned.

The boy laughed loudly. "I am the great Black*Star! Hear my name and tremble!"

Belle glared at him suspiciously. "What the hell is someone like you doing out here in the west?"

Black*Star let out another laugh. "Because, you are going to attend Shibusen! I am here to recruit you, as orders of Shinigami-sama!"

Cole cocked his head in interest. "Shi-bu-sen? Let's see… That's Japanese for… D… W… M… A?" He snapped his fingers. "Oh, you guys are from the Death Weapon Meister Academy! And Shinigami is Japanese for Death God! So, Lord Death sent you guys here?"

A girl reflected in the chain scythe's blade. "Yes! We're students who go there! And we'd like you to join!"

"HAHA! AND IF YOU DON'T COOPERATE, WE'LL DRAG YOU BY THE HAIR!" Black*Star yelled.

Cole's shoulders slumped, and he turned to Belle with an annoyed look. "Hey, this guy's irritating me… Can we shoot him?"

"Be patient, Cole." Belle slid off her horse and walked up to the boy with confidence. "Who the hell do you think you are, coming and trying to drag us to some pristine school against our will?"

"Well, I wouldn't say _against_," Cole mumbled. Belle shot him a look, and he shut his mouth immediately.

The chain scythe was bathed in a soothing yellow light, and a beautiful girl replaced it. She had long black hair tied back, and beautiful midnight blue eyes, obviously of Japanese descent. She had a sweet look to her, one of trust and care. "I'm Tsubaki, the Dark Arms demon weapon. And this is my assassin meister, Black*Star, as you've already been introduced."

"I'm the man who'll surpass God!" he boasted.

"Please, Belle," her partner pleaded. "Just one shot to the head! That's all I'm asking for!"

"Shut up, Cole."

"Yes, ma'am."

Belle continued to study the two before her. "Why would someone like us be asked to join Shibusen?"

"Because we are always looking for new students!" Tsubaki replied cheerfully. "We'd be more than glad to have you at our school!"

"We're not interested."

Black*Star and Tsubaki still smiled, but stood frozen in place. Belle climbed back onto her horse, and ordered Cole to do the same. Once they were both on, they began to make their way to the exit of town, only to be stopped by that damned assassin.

Tsubaki was now in chain scythe form once again, and Black*Star held her threateningly. "I told you. We're not leaving until you agree to come with us."

Belle sighed, and glanced to Cole. "You heard him Cole. He's not going to leave."

Cole rubbed his hands in anticipation. "Alright! Time for some action!"

He was enveloped in orange light, and jumped off his seat. Belle caught his revolver form, and pointed it at Black*Star. "You annoy me. Move out of my way, before I make you."

Black*Star smiled deviously. "Try me."

Belle smirked, and slipped off the saddle. She stood up slowly, and raised her revolver. Black*Star pursued her in that instant, but Belle was as calm as ever. He kept charging towards her, not moving from her spot.

"Ah, Belle," Cole said nervously. "Why aren't you moving?"

"I'm gonna end this without bloodshed," she put simply.

"Oh." He let out a tired sigh. "C'mon, let me have some fun one in a while."

Belle rolled her eyes, and waited patiently until Black*Star was in close range. He was about to bring down his weapon, when Belle hit his diaphragm with the butt of the revolver. His eyes widened as he was knocked out of breath. Belle flipped the gun around, clicked the lever, and pulled the trigger, sending her soul wavelength into the assassin. He flew across the dirt road, and landed with a thump.

She threw Cole, and he transformed back. He raised his hand, and Belle gave him a well-deserved high five. He grinned. "Good job, Belle. Let's get going, okay?"

Belle nodded. "We've got a lot more targets on the list."

Tsubaki transformed, crouching over her defeated meister. "Black*Star! Are you okay?"

Black*Star weakly raised a thumbs up, and Tsubaki sighed with relief. "She's… almost like Charlotte."

Belle stopped short. The name rendered familiarity in the back of her mind. A moment passed before she glanced back at the defeated student, raising a cautious brow. "I don't who this Charlotte is, but if any of you students come after us again, there will be hell to pay."

* * *

**A/N: SO READERS! How did you like the first chapter to the sequel? :3**

**ALSO, to those who had reviewed and asked me to bring Dani back, I would but I won't. I'm sorry, but I warned you guys that some would hate the ending. :P  
I hope Belle and Cole can serve just as promising as Dani and Charlotte did!**

**And don't worry about Charlotte, btw. She'll be back...**

**ANYWAY! Thanks for all the reviews on the last book, now let's see if we can get some on this! If you are new to the Unbreakable Bond series, please go back and read the first book! Thanks! And do not hesitate to leave a review! I love to know what readers are thinking of the story so far! :3**

**REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!**


	2. Chapter Two

**READERS, CHAPTER TWO OF ****AS DARKNESS FALLS, STARS AREBORN**** HAS OFFICIALLY (FINALLY) BEEN POSTIFICATED!**

**AH! I am so sorry for the late update. Had a very eventful week...**

**Anyways, I'm back. I had some trouble trying to finish this chapter, but it's done now and I'm glad!**

**Also, I have an important announcement: Updates will always *I repeat always* will be between Fridays and Sundays (the weekend) from now on! School has gotten hectic and my End of Course Exams are coming up, so I need to be focusing on work if you want me to be exempt from them and able to post almost every day again!**

***Fun Fact* - Belle Starr was an actual outlaw from the west in the early 1900s. Cole Younger was her first husband, but I believe he was either murdered or died of a disease... I can't remember all that much. But Belle is MUCH younger in my fan fic, and is actually quite different. I think the only things they have in common are:  
**

**-Being female outlaws  
**

**-The same name  
**

**The real Belle Starr was apparently not much of a looker, and had a REAL foul mouth. Plus, she never even handled a gun (don't believe the movie or the paintings; she only did that stuff for show)  
**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Chapter Two – Las Vegas, Nevada! Maka Albarn and her Cool Scythe, Soul?**

Shibusen was filled with rumors the day Black*Star returned with a bloody nose and a couple of bruises. Shinigami-sama had made the request to send him on a recruitment/remedial mission only a few days ago. Apparently, Arachnophobia was getting stronger each day. The Kishin in the last month had been drawn in by the heretic witch, Arachne's, voluminous charms and promises of power. Shibusen needed more students for the upcoming battle with the organization, and they would need all the help they could get.

Belle Starr and her partner Cole Younger were young outlaws across the United States. Black*Star had heard of her valiant efforts of killing Afreets and bandits alike. It was strange though, considering she was still young. How could someone of her stature and size kill over fifty Afreets within just one month?

As they passed Class Crescent Moon, Soul and Maka spotted them and ran out to meet them. They both gasped inaudibly, shock evident on their faces.

"What happened to you?" Soul asked. "You look like you got beat up pretty bad."

Black*Star shrugged, annoyance clear on his face. "That damn recruitment mission was harder than I thought. I was so sure I had her! But she ended up throwing me like a rag doll."

"That must've wounded your ego," Maka teased. "The great Black*Star, defeated by a fourteen year-old girl! Oh, I can just see the headlines now!"

Tsubaki had to restrain her meister from punching Maka. "The girl was tough, to be sure. But even when we offered politely, she didn't want to go!"

"That's not the best part though," Black*Star muttered. His mood was going downhill fast. "Belle Starr and Cole Younger were holding back on me."

After receiving an eye roll from both Soul and Maka, the Death Scythe, Spirit, came up to them. He pointed a finger at Tsubaki and Black*Star. "You two were due in the Death Room some time ago. Why so late, huh?"

Tsubaki bowed in deepest respect, pushing Black*Star down with her. "We're so sorry! We came back later than expected! But we were just on our way there now!"

Spirit nodded, and his gaze widened with adoration at his daughter. "Oh, Maka! How's my darling girl today?"

Maka turned her head away, not wanting to have any association with him. "Please stop bugging me, Papa. You know I don't want you talking to me at school."

Before Spirit could break down in tears, Black*Star and Tsubaki waved a farewell to their friends and dragged him to the Death Room where Shinigami-sama awaited news on the upcoming students.

Shinigami-sama welcomed them with a friendly wave of his square-like hand. "Hello! Hi! How's it goin'? Everything worked out, I trust?"

"Well, you see," Tsubaki hesitated. "Belle-san seemed to be a lot stronger than we expected. It's the reason why we were a bit late on reporting back to you!"

"Oh?" Shinigami-sama tilted his body, studying Black*Star. "It seems she gave one of our strongest students a good thrashing!"

"Actually, she only hit me once with the butt of her gun partner," Black*Star griped. He stood up taller without Tsubaki's help. "The impact caused me to get thrown to the other side of the road. I ended up with a few scratches, but I'm alright."

"This girl's more than we expected, Shinigami-sama," Spirit joined in. "Maybe we should've sent another person along with Black*Star to go up against this Belle Starr and Cole Younger?"

Shinigami-sama shook his head. "No, no! Black*Star simply brought the message! I would very much like this girl to become a student rather than causing uproar and disturbing the balance!"

"She also took down a whole bar filled with Afreets in just a matter of minutes," Black*Star added. Though he didn't like how cocky that girl and her partner was, he had to admit she had a serious amount of skills. "Belle Starr and Cole Younger are not a force to be underestimated."

"Hmm," Shinigami-sama seemed to contemplate the situation. His white blocked hand came to the chin of his shinigami mask, rubbing it thoughtfully.

It took a while for the silence to be broken by Spirit. "I may be able to help, Shinigami-sama. Maka has been doing exceptionally well at resonating lately, and I believe she can bring Belle Starr and Cole Younger here peacefully. There's no other person for the job!" Spirit's blue eyes began to shine with adoration. "Maka…"

Shinigami-sama hesitated a moment before bouncing up and down in excitement. "Alright then! It's settled! Maka and Soul will be up next to recruit our young outlaws! Do you know where they might be headed?"

Black*Star tapped his forehead, thinking hard which direction the two went. Tsubaki was the first to remember. "I believe they were headed towards the next city over. That would be…Las Vegas, maybe?"

Maka and Soul walked in soon, after being called by Shinigami-sama. Spirit was in a fit, trying to hug his beloved daughter. Unfortunately, his plans were stopped short by a painful Maka-Chop to the head. Black*Star shook his head in embarrassment.

"Your old man really is a perv, Maka," he muttered in disappointment. Maka's green eye twitched in irritation, and he soon received a Maka-Chop himself. Soul snickered, much to Black*Star's annoyance.

"I'm sorry, Maka-chan," Tsubaki apologized.

"Shinigami-sama," Maka greeted. "What is our mission?"

"You and Soul will be heading for Las Vegas, Nevada as soon as possible!" he said cheerfully. "The recruits we sent Black*Star and Tsubaki to retrieve prove very powerful!"

"SHE ONLY HIT ME ONCE, DAMMIT!" Black*Star raved.

After getting chopped once more, Maka waved Shinigami-sama on. He coughed to himself and continued. "Yes, well, I've chosen you two since I believe you may be able to persuade her more easily to join than Black*Star. But if push comes to shove, please use any means necessary to enroll her at the academy!"

Soul grinned. "Finally, some action around here! I've been itching for a good workout since Charlotte's been gone."

Maka elbowed him quickly, but not quick enough. Black*Star lowered his head in a sullen manner. It brought back the last memory he had of her: her sudden kiss at Death Bridge. He had never noticed that Charlotte may have liked him like that. And his feelings were still jumbled. Charlotte hadn't even come to visit since she restarted the Radcliffe Café back in the Hamptons, and never even bothered to call. Only very blunt letters came, saying "I'm fine, how're you? Everything's going well," or "I'll visit soon." It made Black*Star a little nostalgic.

"Ahem," Shinigami-sama interrupted his thoughts. "You two better get a move on or you might just miss our two young outlaws!"

"Is it okay if we bring someone else along?" Soul asked suddenly.

Shinigami-sama cocked his head to the side. "I suppose. Whatever you need to help on the mission is fine!"

Maka looked over at him questioningly, and he only replied with shark-like teeth. "I think I've got a plan for Las Vegas." He turned to Shinigami-sama. "You said there was this Cole guy, right? I think I know how to get them to join."

* * *

"Hey, Belle, when we're done with our job, where'll we go?" Cole asked.

He and Belle had been riding on horseback for two days straight, not taking a rest once. The cold nights in the desert froze Cole to his very soul. Belle had seemed in a good mood that no more students from Shibusen had even tried to pursue them, but something in Cole made him want to

"I really don't know, Cole," she said. "Maybe if we're lucky, we'll buy a big house for your family back home. They're still waiting for you, right?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah! Oh, you just got to meet Annie! I'd tell her all about you in my letters to home, and she really looks up to you!"

Belle kept her stare to the horizon. A small smile began to play on her lips, and Cole held his breath in anticipation. But as soon as Belle caught him staring, the bland stoic expression returned. Cole sighed in defeat. He knew hose kinds of feelings had died when Belle's brother was gone. They will never come back in the slightest. "I can't wait to meet her."

Cole sighed, and pulled on the reigns, willing his horse to stride closer to Belle's. "Maybe that dumb kid was right. Maybe we should consider joining Shibusen. We could really hone our powers there, so that we can go through the hit list faster."

"I'm never going to that school in my life," she retorted. "It's filled with such petty rules."

Cole silenced himself. Belle usually got touchy over topics about families, schools, and the like. Anything that reminded her of what her life used to be like.

The days they had been traveling had been worn and tiring, but not in vain. Flashing lights and the loud beeps of cars were heard from a flashy city. Laughter of the people could be heard a mile away, and gay affairs were taking place in casinos and hotels. Cole pumped his fist in the air. This was the place to be. Las Vegas.

Curiosity tugged at the back of Cole's mind. "Belle, what made you choose this place to crash? Usually you _hate _cities like this!"

"We came here for a reason," Belle said. "One of my father's old comrades mentioned one of the branch bosses dwelling here after the Organization split up. Since they all ended up as rich as kings, a few narrow-minded would travel all the way here. Where better spend your money than Las Vegas?"

"Oh, true," Cole mumbled. Las Vegas was filled with different kinds of people, but mostly the ones who can afford to spend money to _gain_ more. Gambling was the source of this immense city's success.

Belle jumped off her steed just before being in close range with the city. Cole's dark brown eyes followed her fluid movements as she discarded her cloak and threw it over her shoulder. She adjusted her gloves and lifted the skirt to retie her boots before letting her hair down. Knives' handles stuck out from inside both shoes, but Belle swept her long black skirt over them so they wouldn't be noticeable. She took the bag from over her shoulder, and rummaged around until she found a necklace with a ruby hanging from the chain. Confusion swept through Cole's mind, trying to process what his partner was doing.

"Well?" His thoughts were interrupted by Belle's monotone voice. Silver eyes stared at him for a while. "What are you waiting for? Take off that stupid cloak and put this on." She tossed him a black but expensive looking parka from out of their supplies pack. "We can't afford to attract any attention here. Who knows who has found out about the saloon? Some of the underclassmen could have heard about it within the days we traveled to get here."

"But what about the horses?" Cole asked disappointingly.

"We're leaving them here. I'm sure someone desperate enough will come along and take them in."

He pouted disapprovingly. "That's harsh, Belle."

She shrugged, not putting much thought into it. Cole sighed, but reluctantly slid of his horse. Hands tugged off his cloak, and it was hung over the saddle. Belle removed his worn leather vest and replaced it with a formal black one. A bowtie was adjusted onto the collar of his dress shirt, and pants were thrown into his face. Belle turned her back, waving him to continue. He pulled the pants on quickly after removing his jeans, and stuffed his old clothing back into his pack.

"Now that we're all dressed up," Cole said with a mischievous smile, "why don't we go find us some bandits?"

Belle smirked. "Shut up, Cole. Now when we get in there, we need to look for a man with a star tattoo just under his left eye. The left eye is blind and has a cataract so it should be easy to spot."

"Star tattoo, cataract, blind, left eye. Got it." A memory suddenly formed in Cole's mind. "Hey, didn't that student from Shibusen have a star tattoo as well?"

"That boy was from Star*Clan. The man we are looking for just happens to have that same symbol as the boy from earlier."

"Is this guy high in the Organization?"

"From the source I picked up from, his name is Eli Johnson and an underclassman to a higher power." Belle adjusted her gun belt under her shirt to conceal it from view. "If we can get him to talk, than sure enough we'll be one step closer to finding the men who killed my family."

She held her hand out to him, and Cole took it firmly. Her hand felt very lady-like and dainty. It was almost hard to tell that this girl was a ruthless killer when it came to avenging her family's death. He wished that his reasons of revenge were a bit more on the epic side. All the Organization did to him was robbed his family of their money, leaving them broke and alone.

The Organization was a group of sophisticated and organized bandits who roamed the United States stealing from most aristocratic families like Belle's. Even sometimes the helpless families, who barely had money like Cole's. It was their occupation, because at the top of their pyramid of power stood a single figure watching their business from above. Even Belle didn't know who had been pulling the strings on this now disbanded group of bandits. Rumor has it that this powerful figure still has active members under their control, seeking more and more power.

Cole was lucky to have met someone like Belle, who had the same bone to pick with the Organization as much as he did. They had been traveling for a year now, looking for more members of the bandits ruthlessly. But they had come up short, only finding two worthy sources and a whole lot of unwanted underclassmen, probably serving as henchmen at the bottom of the pyramid.

Belle and Cole, after abandoning their horses, walked into the boundaries of Las Vegas. The city was flashy and colorful within than out. Girls with varieties of costumes strutted around, flaunting long gorgeous legs. Drool began to seep past Cole's mouth as he stared at the beautiful women around him, only to receive a punch in the gut from Belle. Everyone had a pocket full of cash and a bottle of alcohol, leaving casinos and fancy hotels in the middle of the night.

The palms of his hands rubbed together greedily. "Let's go get rich!"

His legs began to walk towards the nearest casino, but a small hand pulled him back. Belle glared coldly at him. "Focus on the task at hand. We are looking for a casino called The White Elephant. Eli will certainly have the VIP room all to himself, so of course we are going to have to do a little sneaking and pick-pocketing. And if I see you lay your lecherous hands on one girl tonight, I swear to God I will kill you."

"Okay, okay, I got it!" Cole held his hands up in defense. He wasn't that perverted was he? Of course, he did like curvy tall girls, one of beautiful and sexy caliber. Like that girl the other day. What was her name again? Tsubaki?

Ignoring his thoughts, his chocolate brown eyes scanned the crowd filling the sidewalks of Las Vegas, checking for the special lanyards that most VIPs wore into casinos for extra winnings. Finally, his eyes landed on a young couple honeymooning in a drunken stupor, beers in their hands. "Found an easy target, Miss Belle."

The knife from Belle's boot made it to her hand, and she walked up along with Cole to the couple. She had the knife at the ready, but the couple didn't even seem to mind. It didn't take that long to get their identification cards and lanyards; no threats or weapons were even used. They were so drunk, the two had willingly given Cole and Belle their lanyards as "a gift to the happy couple," and proceeded stumbling on the sidewalk.

"That was easier than expected," Cole said surprised.

The two of them started to search for the White Elephant Casino, though they knew it would take some hours. They had to jostle past many crowds to try and even get a view of the casinos. Finally, some show girls dressed in all white with an elephant head dress walked past, maybe a dozen of them headed in the same direction as them. Cole grabbed one of the girl's arms and pulled her back.

"Excuse me, miss," he gestured politely. "My sister and I are looking for the White Elephant Casino? Do you happen to work there?"

The girl smiled politely. "Why yes I do! If you would like to follow us, we're on our way there now for another show." She linked arms with Cole tightly, her eyes in seductive slits. "This way, handsome!"

Cole began to blush, noticing how pretty this girl really was. She had dark long black hair with tints of purple strands that naturally curled at the ends. Eyes as yellow as gold that shimmered in the lights of the city stared at him intently. And not to mention she had the biggest breasts he had ever seen. The beautiful girl reminded Cole of a cat almost, seductive and alluring.

Chills ran up his spine, as he felt a cold cruel gaze burning into his back. Cole slowly forced himself to look back, but was surprised to see a very calm and collective Belle following them as they walked towards the casino. Something told him after their work was done, he'd end up with a bloody nose and a crippled body; and it won't be from their fight with Eli.

The White Elephant came into view full, and Cole had to admit it was pretty extravagant. The title was flashing in bright white light above the awning, and a large white elephant sat atop it. It held a pink lotus in its hand, symbolizing good fortune was to come. People were flooding into the casino, excited for some winnings. He himself was pretty revved up to maybe gamble and have a few drinks with the lovely woman on his arm. But he knew Belle would never allow it. Somehow, a petite, tiny fourteen year-old girl had more enforcement over him than he, a grown man of nineteen, had over himself.

The three of them entered the casino, and into a whole new world. Poker tables, thrilling rides, a Ferris wheel, and lottery bars were the first wonders that greeted them. A stage sat at the side, lined with tables below it. Customers were enjoying a magnificent show of many talents, such as trapeze artists and jazz singers alike. If he had the time, he could have made some serious money in here and enjoyed himself to the fullest.

Something tugged at his arm, and the girl looked up at him with big innocent eyes. "Would you like me to show you around the casino?"

"Ah," Cole began to protest, but soon, the girl was dragging him off. He looked back at Belle with frantic eyes, but she ignored him. Her finger held up her lanyard, and walked in the opposite direction. Belle was going to the VIP room.

"By the way," the girl said, "what's your name?"

"I-It's Cole," he stammered. Anxiousness was becoming him. What if Belle went off by herself to find this Eli? Was she that much of an idiot to go by herself without him?

"What a nice name!" she exclaimed. "My name is Blair, and as you can already tell, I'm a showgirl here. How about I take you backstage to meet some more friends of mine? I don't have another show until later, so we might as well just have some fun, yeah?"

Cole shifted. If Belle was so sure she had this, then there was no reason to worry right? Besides, she shouldn't be jealous. Belle was just being…Belle. She would get over it. Cole smiled to Blair. "Yeah, that sounds great."

Blair made a "nyan" sound, and the two ran through the crowd. Servers offered them trays of sweets and beverages, with Cole accepting one of each. Blair turned them both down, saying they weren't made of fish. He was starting to think this girl acted more and more like a cat than human.

They made it to a ball game, and Cole had Blair blow on it for good luck. He threw it into the spinning wheel, and it landed on a 42. His guess had been 43, but it was close enough. Next was the bar, where they had bought a few drinks and talked over them. It was mostly Cole doing the talking, while Blair was just listening, nodding every so often.

Soon, Blair decided it was time to go backstage. She took his hand firmly and guided him there, a sexy smile playing at her lips. The backstage area was secluded, and quieter from the music they were playing out in the lobby. It seemed as if no one was even here, let alone getting ready for an upcoming performance. Cole began to get a bad feeling. Was it right to trust this girl?

A door with a large golden star on it appeared in front of them, and Blair jiggled the doorknob in an odd fashion. It was turned once to the left, then twice to the right, and once on the left again, before actually opening the door. They walked into a wide dressing room, almost as big as the stage. It was obviously for a star of high class, considering its size.

Cole turned to Blair with wide eyes. "Is this your dressing room?!"

She nodded excitedly. "Yep, yep! It's super big-nyan!"

"Wow," he said under his breath. For a dressing room, this was a big deal.

The door slammed behind him, and he whirled around to see Blair's hand on the lock. Once it clicked, Cole knew he had gotten in too deep with this girl. She strode closer to him, and placed a gentle hand on his cheek.

"Sorry, Cole," she apologized lightly. "But you're not really my type-nyan."

"W-What?"

Rustling sounds came from behind the couch, and a lanky green-eyed girl stood up with a white haired broad with crimson eyes. They seemed an odd pair, and Cole immediately knew who these people were.

He groaned, and palmed himself on the forehead. "Why am I such an idiot?"

"Don't worry, man," the boy said reassuringly. "Blair's just hot enough to seduce anyone." He offered his hand for a shake. "My name's Soul Eater. And this is my partner, Maka."

"Pleased to meet you!" she said with a smile. The girl may have been flat-chested, but she was cute enough to get Cole's attention.

But that didn't change the fact that they had tricked him. Cole glared at Soul's offered gesture of kindness. "You're all students from Shibusen, aren't you?"

Maka and Soul nodded in unison, while Blair swiped her hand like a paw. "I'm actually a cat-nyan!"

Purple smoked filled the air, and in replace of the seductress Blair now stood a tiny purple cat with a black silk witch's hat. Cole groaned more, holding his head in frustration. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"Like I said, don't worry about it." Soul dropped his hand.

Maka stepped forward, wearing a polite smile. "Now, we're not looking for a fight, Cole. We just want you and Belle to come enroll at Shibusen like every other meister and weapon out there! Shinigami-sama needs all the help he can get!"

"Why're you so interested in me and Belle?" Cole pressed. "We're nothing special, and I'm pretty sure Belle made it clear she didn't want to attend after the guy with the blue hair tried to drag her by the hair!"

"Black*Star didn't really mean that! He's just over eccentric at times," Maka explained. "We'd really love to have you both join us at Shibusen! You two would be very good students there."

Cole wanted to fight their offer, like Belle would have. But it was tempting. He could go to a school where they could learn to fight better and learn more. School was always a privilege and a blessing to him. He had been the only one in the family to ever receive a proper education. Would it hurt that much if they just attended for maybe a month or so?

But there was also the Organization. Their revenge plan was laid out and ready, but it had to get interrupted so suddenly by these guys. Cole knew Belle's reasons were just, and he had to fight for her.

"Sorry, but we're gonna turn down your offer," he said bluntly. "You see, Belle and I are occupied at the moment. It's too important to just move aside."

Maka frowned, while Soul shrugged and held out his left arm. It shifted into a crimson red scythe blade with black teeth-like markings along its sharp edges. Soul waved it threateningly, a wicked shark grin on his face. "To tell you the truth, I actually would love a fight right about now. Sorry, pal, but Shinigami-sama really wants you on his team for some reason."

"So we're gonna make sure that happens," Maka finished, and she grabbed Soul's hand. He shifted into his full scythe form that was even more bone-chilling. Cole clenched his fists. There was nothing he could do. He was up against a cat with immense magic power, and two experienced students from Shibusen with no meister.

How the hell was he going to get out of this one?

* * *

**A/N: Oh, me and my wonderful cliff hangers...**

**Did you guys like this chapter? I'm sorry, it's really late and I didn't even bother to edit this. So, if you're reading this at 2 a.m. like a weird person and saying, "Oh, this is terrible editing!" sorry. I'm really tired. I should really stop staying up so late and procrastinating on updating the story! But I will edit it in the morning, so if you did read this at the time before I wake up, then just check back in about 10:30 or 11:00 and it'll certainly be updated! *Depends on how much I sleep in tomorrow...***

**REVIEW REPLYING TIME (I've already replied to you, Kiitsu, through PM! ^-^ Thanks for the critique! I hope you stick with the story, bruh!):**

**Katsumi Kobayashi - Really? o: I somehow think Dani was one of the better characters, but hey it's your opinion ^-^ I think you're gonna like Belle! :D Thanks for reviewing!**

**MistressRuriko: Sorry for the late update! D: I hope you'll forgive me! I'm glad you're excited for the fic! :D Thanks for reviewing!**

**OneHellofaKitsune: Ah, that's good! :D I don't want you to hate me ): Sorry for the long wait (and another cliff hanger...) OH WELL! Thanks for reviewing! :D**

**REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!**

**AND NOW THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING YOU CAN FOLLOW! Yes that's right! I got a tumblr, like everyone else in the world today... I'm so mainstream. *punches the wall in anger* ANYWAY, if you're one of those people who are actually INTERESTED in my personal life and wonder why I procrastinate so much, my tumblr should answer it all: twilighteternal412 . tumblr. com  
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**You can always ask me anything on there! :D So, FOLLOW GUYZ! I POST COOL STUFF! (Jk, not really. Lulz.)  
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	3. Chapter Three

**READERS, CHAPTER THREE OF ****AS DARKNESS FALLS, STARS ARE BORN**** HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN POSTIFICATED!**

**Tedious chapter is being tedious.**

**I also hate the title of this chapter. SORRY IF THIS CHAPTER IS A DISAPPOINTMENT!**

**I'm so freaking tired. TWILI, STOP UPLOADING SO GODDAMN LATE! IT'S PAST YOUR BED TIME!  
**

**Anyway, on to more formal matters. *Said that like a sir* I am now an official Beta-Reader! If you would like help with your story, I will be most glad to help out! Just because my story has a lot of problems doesn't mean yours will! I'm a procrastinator, so that's why my chapters are edited much later than expected. So, yeah. If you need a Beta-Reader, I'm your gal!**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Chapter Three – Las Vegas Showdown! Belle and Cole's Next Opponent is a Shinigami?**

Belle was no fool. As if she would go off into a battle with Eli without a weapon, risking her life and chances of avenging her family's death. As if she would just slip the lanyard on and go into the VIP room where Eli sat comfortably surrounded by body guards unprepared.

That's why she made sure she had a spare knife after Cole decided to run off with some slut. She knew that Cole's hormones would get the best of him, and he would be running off to the side with some petty show girl soon enough. Or the thought of making more money would fill his head to the point where he couldn't contain his greed any longer.

The old man's lips curled into a thin smile, revealing crooked yellow teeth. "What brings a pretty dame like you into my personal room?"

"I'm looking for Eli," she explained. Though she may have looked young, with a bit of makeup, she looked to be eighteen. "I believe my employer said a package would be delivered to your room around this time frame."

Eli raised a brow in curiosity. "I don't remember asking for any 'package,' but it's a nice surprise so I won't pass up on the offer."

His old wrinkled hand patted the seat next to him, inviting Belle to join him. It disgusted her to the very core to be sitting next to such a sadistic man, but she'd have to hide her identity for a few moments longer. Then she could get the answers she needed.

Belle took her seat next to Eli, and his arm instantly rested on her shoulder. She cringed, but kept her cool façade. "Mr. Eli, I hear you used to be a famous bandit back in your day."

Eli let out a loud chuckle. "Yes, ma'am, I was indeed! I'd kill all my enemies in one blow, along with the targets of course."

"Targets?" Belle feigned curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, this and that," he waved off her question. "But let's get on to more important things."

Belle brought a cautious hand to Eli's chest, stopping his advances. "Actually, I have a couple more questions before we can resume…'business.'"

The old man sighed, and sat up straighter. "Go on."

"Do you remember one of your most infamous crimes?" she pressed, seeming as curious as possible. "I believe it was the Shirley's murder some years ago? It was one of my favorites to read about in the paper!" The words left a sour taste in her mouth, but she had to keep up the act.

Eli's eyes turned into slits as Belle's innocent curiosity began to wear off. "I do recall that. I was there." He felt around in his jacket's inner pocket, checking to see if his gun was where it was supposed to be. He gripped the handle. "Why's a little girl like you's wantin' to know about the Shirley's?"

A crooked smile appeared on Belle's face, and she bent down slightly to grab the switchblade in her boot. "If you were there, wouldn't you remember me?"

As Eli's eyes grew exceptionally big, Belle brought the switchblade to his throat before he could draw his gun. To calm him down, Belle threw a powerful punch to his jaw. A crunching noise sounded throughout the room. "Now listen up, Eli Johnson, since you were there, you must've have been close with the man in charge of that operation. Where are the others involved with my family's murder?"

"Well, I'll be damned!" Eli chuckled. "Who knew such a frail dame could become such a hard ass? You look much older than you's really are, sweetheart."

"So, do you wanna be a good old man and tell me where your bosses are?" Belle said in a cruelly sweet tone, ignoring Eli's comment. The grasp on his jacket tightened as she brought him closer to her face, feeling the sweat pour down his forehead.

Eli struggled against Belle's grip on his shirt, but was unsuccessful. "I ain't tellin' you nothin', you little brat!"

She shook her head in false disappointment. "Oh, that's not what I wanted to hear. I thought your grammar was much better, considering you're on a higher caste level than your little tracker. What was his name again? Oh, right! It was Blue Duck!"

"Y-You killed Blue Duck?"

A menacing grin formed on her lips. "You've got that right, Eli. Now, I won't kill you if you give me some honest information on where more of your bosses are residing. If you do that, I let you go back to your wife and kids at home! I also won't mention how you tried to cheat on her just now."

Eli looked unsure at first, but a gleam of hope shimmered in his good eye. "You m-mean it? You ain't lyin'?"

"Of course! I never lie, sir!"

With a shaking hand, he reached for the nightstand beside the red leather couch. The drawer opened, and Eli withdrew a pad and pen. Belle watched carefully as the old man began to write cities and addresses along with names on the yellow paper. He ripped the sheet out of its place, and nervously handed it to Belle. She snatched it with a greedy hand, and stuffed it into the pocket of her skirt.

"T-Those are the names of my bosses who are still alive," he explained. "There are only two left, but I-I'm sure they can give you more information than I can on the Boss." Belle threw the withered old man to the ground. Eli looked up at her with a curious eye. "You're Myra Shirley, aren't ya? You used to be such a sweet girl, you's did. What happened to ya?"

Belle ground her teeth together, suppressing her anger. That wretched name reminded her of the horrible memory. Being called by her birth name now was just a stab to the heart. She knew Eli was trying to provoke her now in return for her threatening information out of him. But she would not let is faze her. "Myra Shirley is gone. The girl who stands before you know is Belle Starr, and she is very different from Myra. And one more thing you should know about me, Mr. Eli." She turned back to face him, and knelt in front of him. Tremors were being sent through his body out of fear. Belle brought her switchblade back to his throat. "I'm not one to keep promises, either."

With that said, she pierced the blade into his jugular vein, and slid it down. Blood gushed out of the wound, tainting his entire neck deep red. He was convulsing in pain, choking on his own blood. Belle closed the switchblade, and slipped it back into her boot before leaving the VIP room.

The crowd was a bit more lively, as couples danced on the floor to horrid club music. Belle scanned the bar to find Cole finishing up his drink with the showgirl who stole him away earlier. His cheeks were flushed, and it was evident that he was beginning to go into a drunken stupor. But still conscious, the showgirl perked up and grabbed his wrist. Belle watched from afar as the two made their way to a small red door right by the stage where a singer was performing. Something was not right with that stupid girl. Following her instincts, she began to walk over to the door.

A strong hand had a tight grip around her waist, and she was twirled into the arms of someone completely unknown. Fighting against this man's grasp, Belle looked up to get a good look at him. It was a grown man in his late twenties, with sky blue eyes and messy red hair that stopped at his shoulders. A black tie formed like a cross hung around his neck, and he wore formal work attire.

"Where do you think you're going, miss?" he asked in a smooth voice. "I think you and I have some business to discuss."

Belle scoffed. "Oh, really? And what, pray tell, is that?"

"I think you already know." The man's arm pulled her close to his chest so that Belle couldn't break free. "You know where I'm from and who I am. So, why don't you just admit it?"

Belle still struggled, but answered through clenched teeth. "You're from Shibusen. You're Death Scythe, and I have no chance against you without my weapon. That's why you sent that girl to distract Cole so you could have time with me."

"That's not all," Death Scythe said with a smile. "Your partner is currently in a situation where he can't win. Like you, he has no partner. Right now, I think he's going hopelessly against my daughter and her scythe."

A blast boomed on the stage, as Cole was thrown to the other side. A lean girl with pigtails held a large red and black scythe. The students were both hovering over Cole, but had no malice in their intentions. Instead, they kept asking him sincerely to join Shibusen, which he kept denying.

"Cole," Belle breathed. She stopped her struggles, and faced the man with pleading eyes. "Please, let me fight. If any of your Shibusen students wins, you can take us to Shibusen. We will not deny your requests any further. But I can guarantee we will win every time, so your efforts are futile."

Spirit smiled. "Sounds like a good bargain. Alright, you've got yourself a deal."

After Spirit removed his hands from Belle's waist, she ran to an injured Cole. She put herself between him and the girl with the scythe. The customers seemed to gather around them as if watching yet another show. Belle held her hand out to her partner.

"Let's make this fight fair."

Cole gratefully took his meister's hand, and transformed into his revolver form. Pointing it at the girl, Belle growled in rage. "Don't ever hurt my partner again, you bitch."

The girl stepped back, surprised at Belle's sudden aggressiveness and appearance. "How old are you? Twelve?"

"No, you moronic twit I'm fourteen!" Belle cried. "Let's just get this over with. I've already finished off Eli."

"That quickly?" Cole's voice had a hint of shock behind it. "That must be a new record."

"So this is the infamous Belle Starr?" the scythe cooed drowsily. A person gleamed in the blade of the smooth metal. It was a boy with red eyes and white hair, and a noticeable scar starting at the top of his chest. "She's just a kid. We can take her, Maka."

The girl, Maka, studied Belle carefully, as if analyzing her strengths and weaknesses. "This girl's soul is strong. The soul wavelength patterns between her and Cole are intense. Soul, this may be a fight where we will have hardships."

"So what? We can take her!"

Maka sighed before twirling the scythe in front of her, and slashing it to the side. The determined look on her face gave Belle a bit of doubt. This student could prove difficult, unlike Black*Star.

"Let's go, Cole."

He grunted in reply. Belle raised the gun in Maka's direction, a hard glare in her eyes. She clicked the lever, and set her finger on the trigger. With a deep inhale, Belle pulled the trigger and sent an immense soul wavelength blast in the student's direction.

Maka waved her weapon to the side, the bullet knocking off the blade with not a scratch on it. Belle gasped silently, but she kept her calm. Pulling the trigger again, the bullet zoomed at Maka, sure to hit. But the meister simply dodged it without a second thought. What was with this girl?

She sent many more, hoping to hit her target with greater force. But Maka deflected every bullet. With a flick of her wrist, the scythe, Soul, would twirl in circular motions and bring her bullets back at her. They were painful and sharp, but Belle ignored it.

Instead, Belle began to forward her advances with close combat. Maka had been standing firmly in her spot the whole time with open legs. Belle took this chance, and slid under them, ending up behind Maka. She pointed the revolver at the back of her head.

Maka faced her quickly, and knocked the revolver back, bending Belle's arm painfully in the process. She swept the handle of the scythe under her feet, causing Belle to collapse to the ground. Thinking she had Belle where she wanted her, Maka raised Soul up high, ready to strike down.

Belle instantly rolled to the other side to avoid the blade. It crashed down into the wood flooring of the stage, piercing it. So Maka was trying to hurt her?

A foot forced Belle back down onto the ground. The black boot dug into her shoulder, yet gently as if trying to avoid critically injuring her. Maka's forest green eyes stared down at her intently. "We are not trying to harm you. If you could come with us, you could have an easier life. The Afreet souls you've collected could be much safer at Shibusen, and Cole could become a Death Scythe!"

Belle spat in Maka's face in response. "We are not as petty as to want to join your school. We have our reasons for rejecting your requests."

"Oh, please!" Soul griped. "Just come on and enroll! All of this madness will end if you come to Shibusen!"

"No!" Cole yelled. "We've said it a thousand times, and we'll say it a thousand more!"

With Maka's guard having been down for a while, Belle kicked her shin with the heel of her boot. Maka yelped and took a powerful punch to the diaphragm, and another to the cheek. Coughs escaped Maka's lips, and Belle knew her breaths were forced. Smiling, she dug the revolver into Maka's stomach, and pulled the trigger in utter glee.

The girl's body was thrown back into the curtains of the stage. They fell down on top of her in the process, and a glowing light seared through the thick velvet cloth. Figures wriggled underneath, and soon Soul and Maka appeared from under the curtains. Soul supported Maka on his shoulder. She was panting violently, the short battle having drained her energy.

"Damn…it," she gasped. "How could…we have lost?"

Soul griped, "This isn't how it was supposed to go."

The girl Cole had been with earlier skipped out onto the stage to help Soul support Maka. Cole glared at her with resentment. "Too bad you're on their side, Blair. I was growing quite fond of you."

Blair mewed in reply, waving her hand like a paw. The Death Scythe soon joined his daughter, trying to see if she were alright. But it seemed that Maka did not want his care.

"I'm fine, Papa!" she snapped. Brushing the dust from her plaid skirt, she raised her head to reveal a friendly smile. "You two are very good. It's a shame we won't see you at Shibusen."

Death Scythe shot a glare in Belle's direction, his nostrils flaring. "You almost killed my precious Maka!"

"Shut up, lecher," Belle snorted. "I wasn't planning on killing her. It'd be a waste."

"If only we'd won," Soul sighed.

"Maybe next time you'll think about sending someone who can actually match Belle's tactics," Cole suggested darkly. Belle could tell that her partner didn't take a liking to Soul. He grabbed her shoulder, and steered them both off the stage without another word to any of them. Leaving his aggressive attitude aside, he smiled down at Belle. "Where to next?"

Belle instinctively dug into her skirt pocket, and took out the crumpled paper of names. After scanning it thoroughly, she pointed to a name that was located in San Francisco. "Looks like I've found our next target. Let's pay a visit to Jack Spaniard."

* * *

"Oh, that _is_ troublesome."

Maka and Soul had just returned within hours to Shibusen to consult with Shinigami-sama about their failure to enroll Belle and Cole. Shame was written all over their faces, and Spirit was even shedding tears for his daughter. The two students had just finished explaining Belle's situation after Maka had thoroughly looked into Belle's soul.

"Her soul wavelength is void of many emotions," Maka explained. "The only feelings she harbors are revenge, sadness, and anger. Anyone could tell that this girl has a very dark past. As for Cole, I think he's the most emotional person I've ever met. Due to their opposite personalities, I believe they were drawn to each other. These two young outlaws are on a hit list trip, taking out certain people with high class, such as Eli Johnson in Las Vegas and Bluford Duck, or 'Blue Duck' in Oklahoma. That's all I could really pick up. But from what I heard, Belle and Cole are on their way to Portland, Oregon for another kill."

"Other than that, those two are hell of a lot strong," Soul added. "Both of them have enough skill to take out a hundred men in less than a minute. I think we need a three-star meister for this kind of recruitment mission."

Shinigami-sama cocked his head to the right. "I suppose you are right, Soul. I know you two worked hard and did this mission under orders with no explanation, so I'll give it to you right now! Belle Starr and Cole Younger are just two out of many strong partners I am trying to recruit. As you know, Arachnophobia is bound to strike anytime now. I want us all to be ready for when that battle comes. But these two in particular could become a great asset in our cause!"

Shinigami-sama turned to the sulking heap that was Spirit, and reaper-chopped him. "Spirit, I need you to go find Kid and bring him in here. I have a special mission for him."

Maka jumped at the sound of Kid's name. After Spirit left the room to go retrieve Kid, Maka stepped up and asked, "Sir, are you sure Kid is up for this yet? He hasn't been on a mission in months!"

"Also, Kid isn't really in the best shape right now. Even though it's been a month since Dani died, he hasn't gotten over it," Soul said sullenly.

"It's true that my son is still grieving for the loss of dear Dani," Shinigami-sama said. "But I believe that giving him a mission such as this may lift his spirits a bit, if only for a small amount of time. I just want Kid to be happy again."

There was a cool silence in the Death Room. Kid hadn't spoken a word ever since the day Charlotte left. With Dani gone, it was like he didn't know how to live anymore. He and Dani had only just professed their love to each other, but Sinopa soon took their shred of happiness away. Maka and Soul had tried their hardest to cheer their friend up, along with Black*Star and Tsubaki. But no one tried as hard as Liz and Patty. They did everything in their power to get him to focus on other things, like symmetry and the like. But nothing seemed to change him.

Soon, Spirit entered the room followed by Kid, whose face reeked of misery. They were followed by his weapon partners, Liz and Patty, who were much livelier than he, yet still sullen all the same.

Kid walked up to the center of the platform to face his father directly, no emotion crossing his face. "You've called me here?"

Shinigami-sama bounced with excitement. "Yes, yes, yes! Kiddo-kun, I've assigned you to a recruitment mission!"

Liz jerked her head up, a gleam of thrill flashing across her blue eyes. "A mission?"

"YAY! A MISSION!" Patty raised her fists in the air, waving them madly.

"Yup! You will be traveling to a small state called Oregon! There are two students I'd like you to fetch for me!"

Kid kept his face the same. "Who are the targets?"

Soul's eye twitched. "You say that like it's an assassination mission…"

Ignoring Soul's comment, Kid waited for a reply from his father. "Ah, yes. You will be recruiting the two outlaws Belle Starr and Cole Younger!"

"Fine." Kid turned his back, and started for the door.

Maka blocked his way. "Wait just a minute. Belle's a strong opponent. You can't just go barging out there, and think you can win anything without a month of any practice, training, or any _missions_! And don't think you'll be gold just because you're a shinigami! I won't stand for this unless you have some warning."

Kid only glared at Maka, his eyes telling her to move out of the way. Soul intervened, and pulled Maka to the side. "Go on ahead, Kid. Just don't get killed out there."

Followed by Liz and Patty, Death the Kid headed towards the doors of the Death Room, leaving for San Francisco immediately.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was a disappointment. T_T **

**I'm going to be updating on the weekends from now on, for those who ignore these before and after notes. Also, my EOC's (End of Course) tests are on December Sixth, and then I am going to the Biltmore to sing with my Select Choir the next day and won't be back till the following Monday. So I am going to try and update either another time this weekend, or twice next weekend. **

**Also, I hate Black Friday shopping. XP I almost died, but I finally got Assassin's Creed Three WITH the PS3 along with the Uncharted and Infamous game series! XD I have such amazing parents :3 *except they won't let me play it until the week before Christmas but hey***

**On another note, I think I'm going to restrain on replying to reviews this time around. I just find it a bit frustrating to reply XD I love my readers, so I think I may start PM-ing to my reviews rather than do it in the A/N's. **

**To stay updated on my current status, please check my profile. I usually update it daily to tell my readers if there are problems or not.**

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**REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!**


	4. Chapter Four

**IT'S FINALLY HERE!**

**Alright so this introduction is now on my iPad since my laptop just died After I posted the chapter. **

**Long story short, I focused more on school, Biltmore all last weekend, haven't had a lot of free time. Im truly sorry to make you guys wait so long for the next chapter!**

**But I am back to posting regularly so no more delays! Yay! Even though it doesn't seem like it, I hate to put off updating a story! I feel like readers hate me when I do that T_T I hate myself**

**PLEASE ENJOY CHAPTER FOUR OF ASDSAB!**

**REVIEW FOLLOW FAVORITE!**

**(I hate autocorrect)**

* * *

**Chapter Four – Belle Starr's Greatest Challenge! The One Who Defeated Her?**

The city of San Francisco was soon in the outlaws' sights. A grand city filled with tall buildings and colorful people were seen even from the train that was miles away. Though flashy, it was not enough to ease Cole's boredom. It had been hours since they had boarded the train, and it was killing him just sitting in the same spot for a long period of time.

"Too bad that guy didn't say anything," Cole muttered, placing his hands behind his head.

Belle and Cole had just gotten through with killing Jack Spaniard. Just like Eli and Blue Duck, Jack had no useful information on the man pulling the strings in the Organization. When Belle had showed him the list of names, he pointed to two names that he stated were higher in the pyramid of the Organization. After getting the job done, Belle had declared that they both needed a well-deserved rest, and Cole was okay with that. Sleep didn't come easily ever since he had started traveling with Belle.

The train roared loudly against the railroad tracks, crossing over a wide ravine. Cole pressed his nose to the window, watching the river flowing downstream in awe. Belle had taken out a pad of paper, and was writing something completely alien to him. Music notes were scribbled down onto it, and he didn't understand what that meant in piano. He was never musically talented, so he never dared bother Belle with her music work. But the curiosity got the best of him this time, since sitting in a train for five hours wasn't exactly his kind of fun.

But something felt missing from their lives. It had been a full week and not another Shibusen student has come to recruit them. Didn't they desperately need them or something? What happened to all the great battles? Though there was an absence of action, he felt an uneasy feeling that someone had been following them for a while.

Cole desperately wanted another student to come, only to show them what their true potential was. But Belle was set on never going to the school. Cole knew he had denied their request along with her, but what if he hadn't? The sound of an education in increasing their power was appealing to his ears. But Belle was the one holding them back. Was it just her stubbornness getting the better of her, or avenging her family, more importantly her brother?

Cole craned his neck to take a peek at what his partner was writing. With a loud slam, Belle shut the book and glared at him with piercing silver eyes. "May I help you, Cole?"

He waved his hands frantically. "No, ma'am. I'm just kind of bored is all."

Belle rolled her eyes, and set her book to the side. "Alright, Cole. You've got something on your mind. Spit it out."

"Don't you find it strange that it's been a week and no Shibusen students have come after us?" he blurted. It had been bothering him lately, and it felt strange not be in a good fight. The students really put up a good one. It left Cole craving more.

"No," she replied bluntly. "Good riddance, I say. They were nothing but a mere obstacle in our way."

"You mean your way," Cole mumbled under his breath.

Belle shot him another glare that could kill. "What was that?"

"Nothing, ma'am."

Silence filled the coach cart. Belle kept her glare strong, while Cole quietly fiddled his thumbs, trying to focus on other things. Maybe if he could just make Belle see that Shibusen could help them, then maybe they could reach their goal ten times as fast.

"Hey, Belle, where is this train taking us again?"

Without looking up from her music, she replied, "To the airport in San Francisco. We'll be taking a flight to Osaka, Japan tonight."

"What's in Osaka?"

"From what Jack Spaniard told me, a member strongly connected to the main branch division owns a couple of buildings there. Hopefully we can find some leads as to where their headquarters is located." Closing her songbook once more, Belle's silver eyes gazed questioningly at her partner. "Why the sudden curiosity? You knew the plan before we even got on the train."

Cole shrugged, shifting his eyes to the scenery outside. "I don't know, it's boring on this damn train. I can't stay still. I need to move around. Where did all the excitement go?"

"Would you rather us be pursued by the enemy every waking moment?" Belle retorted. "Excitement is something we do not need, Cole. Focus on the task at hand."

A loud crash boomed on the train. Belle and Cole stood up in unison and ran out to the hallway to see the commotion. Cole smirked at Belle, only to get a glare in return. He couldn't help having excitement at that very moment.

Passengers scrambled in the halls running towards the conductor's cart to report. As the smoke cleared from the blast, Cole could see clearly at who was standing before them.

Two gruff and stout men stood in front of a smaller figure, shielding her from the other people around them. Belle grasped Cole's hand, a signal for him to be ready at any time.

The small person scooted in between the two bodyguards and was revealed to be a young girl no older than Belle. Though there were obvious differences between them. Belle was a hard and stoic girl with a locked atmosphere, while this girl actually seemed to act her age, and innocence shrouded over her.

"Excuse me," the girl said quietly. "I am terribly sorry for intruding, but I do believe I have some business with you."

The girl's dark frail finger pointed to Belle. "You are Belle Starr, am I correct?"

"And what if I am?" she replied curtly.

"My name is Aveline Evermore of the Hamptons. I have heard of your notorious crimes and was sent by my master to retrieve you."

Belle's silver gaze met with Aveline's blue, scanning her up and down. "Who is this master you speak of?"

"That shall be none of your concern. All you must know is that you have killed many of our brothers in the branch divisions. And for that you must reap what you sow."

Cole drew in a deep breath, realizing Aveline's words. Aveline was sent by the head of the Organization. This girl was the strongest connection he and Belle had come across in months. This was their only chance.

"Belle, make sure to keep her alive," he whispered into Belle's ear. "She's from the main division."

Belle's eyes grew in response. Taking his hand, she nodded for him to transform. Shots were immediately fired from the revolver in Aveline's direction. Smoke began to form around her from the blasts.

Cole scoffed, disappointed at not getting much action. But his thoughts were too soon, for the woman was already immerging from the smoke, not a scratch on her dress or body. Aveline studied Cole's weapon form, greed gleaming in her blue eyes.

"Impressive," she admitted with a slight moan. "If you had actually thought about hitting me without your cocky attitude, I may be slightly detained. But how about you get a load of my toys?"

With a snap of her fingers, the two men who had accompanied Aveline were enveloped in red light and transformed into large and very sharp sugar cane knives. Both of the hilts were a bright orange, and the blades a fiery red.

Aveline grinned mischievously. "Let's see just who is strongest, shall we?"

In a rush of anger, Belle began to trigger the revolver and shoot at her opponent. The soul blasts were immense, but rather deformed. It was due to Belle's soul wavelength being in a state of hesitation. This sort of thing was new to Cole, seeing Belle as anxious as this. All he could do was to control and restrain the wavelength enough to make sure it could hit its target.

As Belle kept shooting, Aveline stood as still as a statue. A girlish giggle came from her lips. "This is rich! The confident desert flower, the brilliant young marksman that was given so much praise by my underlings, is scared. It's all because you know you won't win this time isn't it?"

The sugar cane knife was swung into Belle's shooting arm. A howl of pain rang through the demolished train cart. Cole felt the blood trickle onto the gun's hilt, fear for his meister's safety coursing through his veins.

"You haven't figured it out yet, have you?" Aveline said. "I'm one of the Elite Four, chosen by none other than the boss himself! The Elite Four cannot be defeated! Anyone who threatens my master ends up dead the next day."

Belle's soul wavelength was screaming. Rage replaced the collected façade she had worked so hard on. Cole could feel her muscles being strained just to raise the gun once more. She was in obvious pain, but if Cole stopped her now, she would end up using whatever she had to release her anger onto Aveline.

So he let her fire. Though the blasts were not as steady and as strong as before, these seemed to hit Aveline than the last round did. Burn marks began to appear on Aveline's dress and skin. Cole could feel hope blooming in his chest again.

But when hope's flame seemed to brighten, it was only put out once more. Both of Aveline's knives deflected each shot aimed towards her. Aveline began to advance, pushing Belle back into the wall of the cart. More cuts began to form on her body, streaming with blood. This was another first for Cole: seeing his meister lose. He couldn't believe the sight. Belle was the strongest person he knew. How could someone ever defeat her?

"Cole." Cole looked up at the badly beaten Belle, who was panting. "Soul…Resonance…"

"No!" he immediately declined Belle's command. Her soul was in no state to take on their resonance wavelengths. "You're injured and we can't risk your revenge from taking over the resonance link!"

"Tick tock!" Aveline sang. "Please, this touching moment is quite droll. I'd like to either kill Ms. Starr now, or fight some more!"

"Cole!" Belle's voice was stronger this time. "As your meister, I am telling you to resonate souls with me!"

"But we've never tried it!" he pleaded. "Who knows what the outcome will be?!"

But Belle didn't pay any mind to him. Her soul was already reaching out to his. He had no choice but to accept its presence and make the connection.

The resonation was incredible. It was as if sparks of electricity were sent through his weapon form, making his muscles go numb. Orange light began to gather towards his soul, signifying that power was gradually making him transform into something far better than his original revolver form.

The Colt Thunder revolver was now shifting and rearranging in Belle's hand. The gun was now fitted onto his meister's hand, making into some sort of hand cannon. It still had the pieces of the revolver but also a better shooter. It was amazing and Cole couldn't believe this was his state in resonance form.

Belle was now free of her fatigue and weakness. She stood up with the familiar silver gaze Cole knew so well, and raised his new form at Aveline. The woman was in a state of shock and defiance, disbelief dancing across her eyes.

With both of them grinning, Belle and Cole said their resonance attack in unison. "Silver Bullets."

True to its name, bright bullets made of pure silver and giving off a majestic power fired towards Aveline. Each shot definitely hit her, making her squeal in pain. Cole lost count of how many bullets were fired. All he knew was that the power he felt right then was the best feeling he had ever felt.

The sounds of their bullets echoed in theirs and the passenger's ears, leaving a mental scar on them all. Once the connection wore off, and Cole transformed into his normal weapon state, Belle fell to her knees. Cole could only guess that Belle was feeling the numbing effect the power had given him.

Belle looked down at her revolver. "Did we win?"

"Oh, I don't think so!"

Aveline, her dress in tatters, rose from above the rubble of the ruined train cart. The wind blew her black mangled hair in front of her face, which showed deep annoyance.

"Game's over, Ms. Starr! I can't lose, no matter how powerful your attacks may be!"

The Elite raised her weapons above her head, prepared to cut down her enemy. At last minute, Cole transformed into his human form and shielded Belle. It was his duty as her partner to protect her, no matter the cost. They both shut their eyes for the worst.

Gunshots fired in the train cart, and Cole heard a body crumple to the ground. He cautiously opened his eyes and slowly turned around to see a boy standing above Aveline's unconscious body.

* * *

The boy was a shinigami no doubt. Belle could sense his soul wavelength all week. He had followed them from their journey from Jack Spaniard to their arrival in San Francisco. He was obviously sent by Shibusen, noting the shinigami pendant attached to his suit collar. He also had two silver pistols in his hands, who Belle assumed to be his weapon partners.

Cole turned around and faced the boy, and was shocked to see Aveline lying unconscious on the ground. Her partners were by her side, still in weapon form. The battle had been short but tiring. Belle could feel herself slipping away.

Fighting the fatigue, she placed a hand on Cole's shoulder for support. Once standing, she helped Cole from the ground as well and both stared at the shinigami. Belle stepped forward and kept her cold stare on his golden eyes.

"We did not need help from a student of Shibusen," she retorted. "We were doing just fine."

The boy's emotionless face only stared straight ahead, never looking down at her once. "You will be coming with me now. My father has requested your services many times now, and is beginning to grow tired of the refusals."

"Father? Lord Death is your father?" Cole asked in awe.

The boy nodded coolly. His weapons shone a bright pink and transformed into humans. They were sisters, both very American with blonde hair and blue eyes. The younger one was very bright and enthusiastic, while the oldest seemed very calm.

"Sorry for the sudden appearance," the oldest said. "I'm Liz, and this is my sister Patty. We're Death the Kid's weapon partners!"

"I know who you are," Belle snapped. "What I want to know is why you were following us all week and have only now just decided to approach us! What was the hesitation for?"

Death the Kid glanced down at Belle, his cold gaze locking with her own. "It was my mission. Unlike Maka and Black*Star, I carefully wait to take action then to charge head on. Speaking of which, who is this girl you thoughtlessly fought with?"

Belle growled, and parted her mouth to reply, but Cole intervened. "Her name is Aveline Evermore. She said she was an Elite Four of the Organization."

"What's the Organization?" Liz asked. "Is there anything Shibusen can help with?

"It's a long story. But that was what I wanted to ask. Shibusen is sure to have a file on them! If we could read it, we would be one step closer to finding the boss!"

"COLE!"

All eyes fell on Belle. Her silver eyes were in a fit of anger. "They cannot help us! No one else will get involved! NO ONE!"

"But they can help us, Belle! They can give us information we could never find!"

"NO!" Belle screamed at her partner, refusing to go to Shibusen.

"If you go, you'll get to meet all sorts of people!" Patty cheerfully suggested.

"And you'll get to see the file on this organization thing!" Liz added.

Kid just kept his gaze on Belle. "Let's bring her back and get this over with, alright?"

"SHUT UP!" Belle screeched. "I DON'T WANT TO GO!"

Her balance was off, and she rested a hand against the cart wall to stop herself from tumbling forward. The wounds on her body began to hurt again and she felt more blood flow from the reopened cuts.

"I-I don't want to go…"

Her head was feeling light. Black spots appeared at the corners of her eyes. She could see the ground coming towards her face. It was only inches away from her when firm hands caught her. But Belle was too faint to push whoever caught her away. All she wanted to do was crawl back under her bed, like she did that fateful day years ago.

Someone was carrying her now. She didn't know who or where she was being taken, but all she knew was that the person's hands were warm. Their body was warm against her cheek. It was a familiar and sweet feeling, one she used to feel around her brother. It was nice to feel it once more.

Belle wished she hadn't overreacted about Cole telling the Shibusen students of their plans. It was true that they could help them in the long run. But it was always her stubbornness and feelings of pride that got the best of her. This was her burden to carry, no one else's.

With a curious eye, she peeked up at the face of her carrier, hoping it to be Cole. But to her surprise, it was the young shinigami who was carrying her. Annoyance bit at the back of her mind, but she was too weak to comment or make any kind of remark. His weapon partners were at his hip, and Cole was holding onto Death the Kid's waist. Belle glanced down to see the they were high in the air, flying on an airboard.

Fear jolted her nerves, causing her to become wide awake. She wriggled and gripped onto Death the Kid's hair and suit tight.

"Wh-What?!" he said in shock. "G-Get off of me! I can't see!"

"Get me down from here!" she demanded.

"Belle?" Cole peeked his head around Kid. A wide smile curled at his lips. "You're awake! Don't worry! We're getting you to a doctor real soon!"

Cole raised a finger and Belle followed it, only to be dismayed and frightened even more. A large building with a large shinigami mask atop its main sector stood just ahead of them, candles lit all around it.

Belle mouthed the name, "Shibusen…?

* * *

**A/N: SORRY FOR THE DELAY AGAIN! love you guys :3 thanks for the patience and dedication! I will be posting regularly once more!**

**I just wanna say a huge thank you to those two were patient with me! I know I should be a more responsible writer and focus more on the story! But now that I have the time for that, I'm glad I'm working on this story once more!**

**REVIEW FOLLOW FAVORITE!**

**p.s.- guys go and watch Kamisama Hajimemashita :3 such a great anime AND manga! The anime is fairly new (11 episodes so far) but the manga is far in! It's a great show and manga and feel it gets overlooked and not enough attention so do it a favor and become a fan!**


	5. Chapter Five

**READERS, CHAPTER FIVE OF AS DARKNESS FALLS, STARS ARE BORN HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN POSTIFICATED!**

**Ah it's been a while hasn't it? **

**Well I'm on winter break now and spending it in Scotland! :D I'the done this chapter on my iPad so sorry for any grammatical errors I may have missed. Forgot laptop at home. **

**ENJOY! NO SILENT READERS PLEASE! LEAVE A REVIEW ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED CHAPTER! I WANNA KNOW WHAT READERS ARE THINKING OF THE STORY SO FAR, AND HOW I CAN IMPROVE IN WRITING!**

**New reader? Confused as to what's going on in this story? If so, go back and read the First Book, An Unbreakable Bond, on my profile and favorite/leave a review!**

* * *

**Chapter Five - First Day at Shibusen! Belle's Deal with Shinigami-sama?**

Being surrounded by smug and delighted Shibusen students made Belle highly annoyed. And it was all _that_ brat's fault. The shinigami had to come and sweep her away at her moment of weakness. And she didn't even get the chance to interrogate Aveline, who possibly knew the most information about The Organization than they will ever come across. She was planning on finding and seeking out the rest of the Elite Four, but her plans had come to an abrupt halt.

Damn him. A new hatred burned within her, causing her very blood to boil whenever she looked at him. The young shinigami was lounging in the corner of the room alone. His weapons had joined the circle not too long ago, after a failed attempt of trying to bring him along. Belle could see he too was not delighted to be in the same room as her and she him.

And on top of all the failure and humiliation she had endured, Black*Star had to add more fuel to Belle's fire. His booming laughs of victory echoed throughout the nurse's office, full of arrogance and pride. Soul's snickers didn't exactly help put it out either. Even Cole began to join in with Soul's snickering, but Belle just crushed the bones in his hand before he could try anything.

Once Belle shot them all icy glares, and cole's hand was nearly broken, the laughs quieted and the smug faces disappeared. But the only one who had enough courage to speak first was the pigtail girl, Maka.

"Belle, we know you have been through a lot," she started off shakily. "But what you are doing is helping a good cause. Arachnophobia has had the upper hand for months and all we've done has watched helplessly from the sidelines. So, we thank you for your agreement to help."

Belle fumed with anger, but made sure her voice remained calm and her glare just as cold. "Look here, pigtails. I'm not here to help. I never agreed to helping your school and its students fighting some kind of cult when I nor Cole gain nothing from it."

"But you'd be saving millions of lives!" she protested. "Shibusen is trying to save the world from madness and if you don't help us, we'll all become insane and Arachnophobia will win."

"Let me make this clear. I am not helping you. Once I am fully recovered, Cole and I shall resume our previous engagements. End of story. If I don't care about something, I leave it alone."

"So you don't care about the millions of people who may possibly lose their lives if Arachnophobia succeeds? " Soul interjected, his voice thick with venom.

"How about you all calm down for just a moment?"

The nurse had entered Belle's bedding area and arrived with a clipboard. She was covered in bandages. The only thing you could see was bits of her dark skin and icy blue eyes.

She pushed past the circle and stood next to her bedside. "Your blood levels are normal, indicating that you didn't lose too much blood. But the cuts you received are going to take some time to heal. I believe you'll be here for a while."

Belle ground her teeth together, holding back more insults towards the woman who nursed her back to health in such little time.

"Thank you for helping us," Cole said gratefully. "We truly appreciate it. We will be out of your way in no time."

"It's alright. I'm in no hurry to get this young lady out of my office. I decide when she is fully recovered."

"Of course," Cole agreed.

The nurse nodded and turned her attention back to Belle. "When you feel up to it, I'll have Kid and the Thompsons bring you to the Death Room to see Shinigami-sama."

"Who?" Belle asked curtly. "Please don't tell me that's what you call him." She implied it to the young shinigami in the corner.

"In your case, he is referred to as Lord Death. But his respective name is Shinigami-sama," The Japanese girl, Tsubaki, explained. "The boy over there is his son, Death the Kid. But you may call him Kid if you like!"

"If you think I'm meeting with this Lord Death of yours, then you're wrong." Belle turned her head away from their stares of disbelief.

"I am sorry to say you do not have a choice," the nurse said quietly. "He is only wishing to discuss with you the current affairs that have taken place."

Belle continued to ignore her, while Cole assumed her place. "We'd be willing to speak with him. May we go now?"

"Cole!" Belle exclaimed. Her partner had fully agreed to meet the man who had sent his own students after them. The man who wanted them so much on his side. How important was this feud with Arachnophobia really?

"Let's just listen to what the old man has to say," Cole reasoned.

Belle snatched her hand out of his. Though he was a total lecher, he could have his moments of wisdom.

"Fine," she grumbled. "But I'm not staying here."

"I'll have Kid escort you there," the nurse said.

Belle glared in Kid's direction. The boy who had defeated her had the privilege of taking her to his father personally. Belle clenched her fists to hold herself back from punching him in the face. If she revealed her anger, her calm facade would disappear.

Kid and his partners led them out of the room once Cole helped Belle get out from the bed. Everyone waved them farewell with bleak and unsure smiles.

The hallways were colored black, red, and white, with large paned windows along the walls. Cole slipped his arm under Belle's to give her support, but she shoved him aside. She could not be seen as weak. Especially not I'm front of him.

The taller girl, Liz, turned to face them with a smile. "So you two must really hate it here right now."

Cole seemed taken aback by her blunt accusation. "I wouldn't say we hate it here. But I can only vouch for myself."

Liz looked down at Belle awaiting a reply. But Belle only glared at her, and Liz eventually gave up. She slowed down to stride alongside Cole and chat with him some more. Soon enough he was in deep conversation with her and Belle knew he was probably thinking indecent acts about her the whole time.

She suddenly realized that the other sister, Patty, had begun to converse with him as well. At least, walk with him. The girl seemed to smile all the time and wave her arms on a childlike manner. How old was she anyway?

But then the true thought hit her. She was ditched by Cole and left alone walking behind Death the Kid. But his back was turned the entire time, and he didn't look back once. He seemed exceptionally quiet, and the others seemed to be used to it. What the hell was his problem?

Being the polite girl she was, Belle picked up the pace and walked beside a much taller Kid now. His golden eyes stared straight ahead, not darting to even look down on her.

"You didn't win," Belle said quietly.

When she didn't receive a reply, she continued on. "The only reason you were able to succeed in capturing me was because I was injured and worn. So do not think of this too lightly."

Finally, Kid looked down at her and had an uninterested expression. "I didn't plan on it."

Belle finally got a look at his eyes. She saw a whole story behind it, a tale that told her that there had once been light shining in the gold ripples. But something put to light out and told her that it could never be returned.

A pang of empathy throbbed in her heart. Even though they may not take an immediate liking to one another, Belle knew that Kid had gone through something much similar to her. He had lost something dear to him.

And the light was gone from both their eyes.

"Anything else you would like to add?" he replied, interrupting Belle's thoughts. He sneered down at her in annoyance and faced the path ahead once more. "I would appreciate if you would not speak to me again."

The empathy was immediately gone. Belle simply shook her head, and looked forward again. To think that she had almost shared something in common with the boy. But she was wrong.

Dead wrong.

After minutes of walking through hallways and up stairs, Kid stopped in front of large red doors with a plaque that read: DEATH ROOM.

He swung open the doors and waved his hand for them all to follow. They were greater by rows of blades hanging above them, and ahead was a desert-like setting filled with cross graves and a small platform in the middle. A large mirror stood towards the back of the platform rimmed with gold trimmings.

A tall dark figure adorning a skull mask stood on the platform, waving a block hand in greeting.

"Hey! Hiya! How's it going? Glad to see ya!" he exclaimed. "Kid! I see you've brought the new recruits! Good job! I knew you could do it!"

Kid only shrugged and stepped to the side, letting Belle have the limelight. Cole stood behind with the other weapons, giving her support.

"You must be the infamous Belle Starr, am I correct?"

Belle kept her stare directly on him. "What do you want with me and Cole?"

"Oh, straight to the point!" he laughed. "Alright then! I have called upon you and your partner to ask for you immense strength in the battle with Arachnophobia!"

"No."

Silence. Shinigami-sama tilted his head in confusion. "No? But you do not even know the perks of it! You and your partner would get to study here all the while helping us save the world from the Kishin, Asura's, madness!"

Belle's breath hitched at the sound of that horrifying name. "Arachnophobia has the Kishin? When was it ever set free?!"

"Oh, I see you were not informed of the incident! About two to three months ago, the Kishin was set free by a witch named Medusa. Afterwars, the Kishin escaped and no one had seen him since. But recently, we've discovered that Arachnophobia acquired him some time ago. They also defeated us in our last battle for a magic tool called Brew, created by Eibon himself."

Belle chewed her lip. The Kishin was indeed a threat. She had heard that The Organization was planning on finding the Kishin, but it seemed that they had been beaten.

"Why do you require our help?" she questioned. "What do you believe our strength would do if we were added to your army of meisters and weapons you've gathered?"

Shinigami-sama bounced in place in surprise. "You don't even know your own power? That is truly a surprise! Your soul is of great and immense strength that could rival the heretic witch, Arachne and her allies combined! It's amazing to see how much a young girl like you can do!"

Belle pushed his compliments aside. The school was obviously in desperate need of help. The thought of agreeing to their demands sickened her. But guilt would be a burden if a whole world collapsed all because of one decision. The Organization was also something to be considered as well.

"Shinigami-sama. If you are willing to negotiate with me, I will yield to your wishes and help you stop Arachnophobia."

An inaudible gasp went around the room, especially from Cole. His mouth gaped open, not believing Belle's words. Even Kid widened his eyes a bit in curiosity.

Shinigami-sama clapped his hands in excitement. "What are your demands, Belle? I shall try my best to accommodate to them if your are now willing to help!"

She inhaled before speaking. "I want the freedom to all of your files of past enemies and organizations of any kind. I also would like the liberty of coming and going as I please, with the promise that I will return within three days time. We will also need a place to stay, free of charge. All of this applies to Cole as well." Belle held out her hand to him with confidence. "Do we have a deal?"

The god just stared at her for a moment. "I have no problem with those at all!"

"Father!"

Belle darted her eyes to Kid, who was storming up to her with angry eyes. "Father, you can't be serious! She demands too much! We cannot trust her! It took us long enough to find her, let alone capture her! You are dealing with bad cards."

Shinigami-sama looked to his son, and soon became hesitant and weary. "I can see what you're saying, Kid."

"But Shinigami-sama!" Belle stepped up in between him and Kid. "I have promised that I would help you fight this battle when I have no reason to at all. What I ask isn't too much, but yours is! I have made my demands fair and reasonable. If your son is implying that I am a liar, then how about this? If I do not return within the three day limit I am promised, you have the right to drag me back to this school and lock me in the nurse's office for as long as I am gone!"

Kid glared at her, astonished she would put that on the table. He was at a loss for words.

Once again, Belle placed out her hand to Shinigami-sama. "Do we have a deal?"

There was no hesitation this time. Shinigami-sama firmly took Belle's hand in his and shook. "Congratulations to Belle and Cole, for becoming brand new students to the Death Weapon Meister Acadamey!"

* * *

**A/N: So how was the chapter? Did you like it? Hope ya did, because I spent FOUR FUCKING HOURS ON IT! Ah but I'm not complaining. It's 3:38am here in Scotland but you'll probably see this around nine thirty! **

**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!**

**I know I'm a humbug for posting it on Christmas morning, but I just thought you guys would like a present from me to you :3 if you consider this a present at all...**

**Anyway, the reason for my absence is because of a PS3 and Assassin's Creed 3 :3 I find Connor to be so fucking adorable. NNO joke. Go check it out guys.**

**REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!**

**Like Assassin's Creed? Check out my in the works fanfiction, Forced Hand, on my profile!**

**Like Legend of Zelda? Check out my postponed fanfiction, The Forgotten Prophecy, on my profile! **

**This chapter was done on NotePad for the iPad 2. **


	6. Chapter Six

**READERS, CHAPTER SIX OF ****AS DARKNESS FALLS, STARS ARE BORN**** HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN POSTIFICATED!**

**Im so so sorry for the long interval of NOT POSTING AT ALL! I hate school, I hate algebra honors, I hate my school board, and most of all I HATE WEARING AN EYEPATCH AND BEING IN FIERY PAIN FOR FOUR DAYS!**

**Whew. Now that that's off my chest, I can resume posting regularly! Yay! But it'll be weekly, because of that thing students call **shitwork-

**This chapter was done on Notepad for iPad so I am truly sorry for any grammatical errors in the story. Autocorrect is a bitch. It hates me. And it's really hard to edit the story so yeah.**

**Also, thanks to all of the reviews guys! Seriously I only have six chapters up but I have nineteen reviews. I'm seriously fucking happy right now. You guys amaze me. :'3**

**AND I AM PROUD TO SAY I GOT MY BEST FRIEND TO WATCH SOUL EATER AND NOW SHE'S OBSESSED! I LOVE YOU JENNY! Me and her we gonna be watching it till our eyes bleed symmetrically! :D**

**I ALSO REALIZED HOW MANY TIMES I USED THE WORD "SLAMMED" IN THIS CHAPTER SO IM REALLY SORRY FOR THE REPEATING OF THAT WORD!**

**ENJOY! PLEASE NO SILENT READERS! I LOVE TO KNOW WHAT MY READERS ARE THINKING AND WAYS TO IMPROVE MY WRITING ABILITIES! SO LEAVE A REVIEW, PEEPS!**

**love you all. xoxo - HAHA WHY AM I DOING THAT?!**

**Not sure what's happening? Confused? If so, please go to my profile and read the First Book, ****An Unbreakable Bond****, now and leave a review!**

* * *

**Chapter Six - A Heated Rivalry! The Anticipation of Belle's True Self?**

Belle and Cole walked silently throughout the empty halls of Shibusen behind Kid and his weapon partners. The deal with Shinigami-sama had left all of them in a state of shock. The Belle Starr they had seen days ago would not have even considered talking with the Death God, let alone agree to attend classes. But that's what Belle had hoped. If she could gain trust from Shinigami-sama it would be easier to access the files they had on every enemy and Afreet organization they had. The first thing Belle intended to do was to go to whatever room held the information, take it, and get the hell out of Shibusen as quickly as possible.

Belle could feel Cole's brown gaze boring into her face. She knew that he would be the most confused out of all of them. But this was probably a blessing in disguise for her weapon partner. He was the one who had always had an interest in going to school, getting an education for his family. For once, Belle was actually happy that Cole got what he wanted in the end. Maybe it would be good for him to go here... He could go back to his family. He could have a life here. A life without her putting him in danger all the time. She cared for Cole and she never wanted him to get hurt, even if he was a perverted playboy.

But even though she wished to leave, Belle wanted to find out more about the school and their battle with Arachnophobia. The Death God had wanted Belle desperately to join his students in battle, but how could she have made a difference? There was nothing truly special about her and her skills in using soul resonance were raw and new. How much power could she possible give them? How much importance is she to this school? Belle vowed to find out all these answers during her short period attending Shibusen.

After a long silence, Liz broke it by turning back and smiling at the two new studen"Youguys sure are surprising."

"How so?" Belle muttered.

"We'll for one thing, you immediately agreed to help Shinigami-sama when it would've been normal to decline. What made you change your mind?"

Belle hesitated in her answer before cooly replying. "You were there, Liz-san. I made boundaries. I only agreed because it seems you need my assistance."

Liz blinked a few times before chuckling. "I guess you're right. I think having you here will be quite the entertainment. You're already full of surprises. Right, Kid-kun?"

The young Shinigami did not turn to answer. He only sighed in annoyance and treaded on towards the nurse's office. Liz pouted and shook her head.

"Kid, don't be so cold to them. It's been a while since Patty and I have heard you talk like you did back in the Death Room!"

Belle raised a brow. Death the Kid had not spoken in such a long time? The boy was quiet and a mystery, to be sure, but Belle didn't think if was a huge deal. What had happened before they came here?

"I simply do not trust her." Kid jerked his head back and glared at Belle with a burning golden gaze. "She wishes to use my father's desperation for her own selfish purposes. I will not let my guard down."

"Oi, Kid," Liz stuttered, "that's a bit harsh."

Belle held her ground and returned Kid's glare with a grin. "What does it matter anyway? As long as your father needs me, there's no way he'd want to lose his only chance of victory now would he?

"Hey, Belle, that's enough," Cole intervened sternly.

"So why does it matter if I use his kindness?" Belle continued. There was no point in lying. "If I get what I'm looking for, I don't really care what happens to your precious school anymore."

Kid's eyes widened and a pure look of disgust flashed across his pale features. In anger, he twirled around and stormed forward to the nurse's room. Liz looked after him with a sad gaze, while Patty only frowned with her sister. The two sisters ignored Belle from then on. They only followed their meister silently.

Cole looked down at Belle with a disappointed stare, and walked beside her as they followed after the Shinigami.

The nurse's door was soon in front of them, and Kid ushered them in and followed behind. The other students were still there, standing and conversing with each other. The slam of the door shutting caused them all to turn their heads in their direction. Instead of rambling with questions, they quietly stood there, looking to Kid for his father's decision.

Kid stepped in front of Belle and Cole to make the announcement. "Belle Starr and Cole Younger are officially students of Class Crescent Moon."

The room suddenly flooded with emotions: happiness, pride, glee, and excitement. Maka Albarn and her partner shook hands with both of the former outlaws, wide smiles spreading across their lips. Tsubaki gave Cole a sweet smile, and Belle noticed that her partner was beginning to blush a little.

Black*Star jumped on top of the bed cot and held a fist up in the air. "THE GREAT BLACK*STAR HAS SUCCEEDED! I AM ONE STEP CLOSER TO SURPASSING THE GREAT KAMI-SAMA!"

Bella's eye twitched in irritation, and she silently thanked Patty when she pushed him off of the bed. All of the, laughed hysterically, except for Belle. It startled her that these students were filled with joy of her coming arrival. Did this school mean that much to them?

"Good to have you here with us, Cole-kun and Belle-san," Tsubaki said cheerfully.

Belle smirked when Cole's affectionate blush began to show again. Her partner was immediately taken in by everyone's feelings that he too joined in on the celebration. Belle laughed a little to herself. Cole was a pure innocent person with good intentions. School would be a good thing for him. As Cole associated with the students, Belle silently smiled to herself. The look on his face was one of pure happiness. A tiny part of her longed to show such emotion once more, but she knew that all of her happiness had been taken along with her dear brother's life. Until she killed all of the men responsible for murdering her family, she would remain focused. She had no time for happiness. It was impossible to turn back now.

Kid stood beside her with arms crossed. His golden eyes stared at the scene before him, and Belle hinted a kind of softness to them. But he caught her staring, and his glare from earlier returned. The cold look he gave off reminded Belle of herself at times.

"I don't know what your game is," Kid spat, "but once I reveal your true motives for agreeing to attend classes, we'll see how desperate my father seems when you are placed on shackles on bended knee."

Belle couldn't help but laugh at his threats. "I assure you, Kid, that I have no impure intentions.

"Then why accept my father so easily? Why add all the regulations?" he pressed.

" I am only getting what I want in an easier manner. In return for the conditions granted to me, I promised to help your father defeat this Arachnophobia organization along with your other meisters. It's as simple as that."

Kid scoffed and turned ripped is eyes away from hers. "I don't trust you. And I never will."

"I'm not asking you to."

As Belle walked away from her newfound rival, a plan was already forming in her head.

* * *

"Class Crescent Moon is just down the hall and the first door on the right!"

Cole bowed in thanks to the desk clerk and began sprinting his way to the classroom. Belle had decided to meet him there after they had both woken up that morning. He couldn't contain his excitement any longer. The thought of attending school seemed like a dream come true to him. It had always been his desire to get an education, so he could care for his family and get a suitable job to help with expenses.

But still, he couldn't help but think of Belle every time he laughed or felt a shred of happiness. It had saddened him that she had only watched him make friends with the others yesterday. That night, she had even congratulated him. The pain that Belle felt was too great to just go away. Her determination and strength was what had drawn Cole to her from the very beginning. The months that he had been with her, he had prayed to Kami-sama that before he separated with Belle, after they're mission was complete, that he would get to see Belle's true smile.

Cole slid open the door to find a variety of students sitting down and chattering loudly. A woman with pure golden hair and an eyepatch stood at the front with an open textbook, looking to be at a loss as to how to get the kids to calm down.

The woman saw Cole enter and a look of relief washed over her face. She ran and hugged his arm, pulling him to the front of the room. She gave him a big and smiled and cupped her hand over his ear.

"Thank you, Cole-kun!" she whispered. "You've just saved me from a destructive class!"

The teacher released his arm and slammed the book shut. The students jumped in their seats and turned their attention onto Cole. Some looked with interest and amazement, and others looked with a hint of jealousy and envy.

"Class, this is one of the new recruits, Cole Younger! He will be attending his class with his partner..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced behind Cole in search of Belle. She looks sack to him with concerned eyes. "Where is your partner, Cole-kun?"

Cole slackened his shoulders and sighed. Please tell me she hasn't done anything stupid, he thought. He laughed nervously, pushing back his black locks. "Ah, Belle is still having a hard time recovering from a few of her wounds, so she should be coming later."

Whispers and mutters soon began to run around the room. Voices were quietly talking about how they had heard rumors about Belle, and that she was apparently a dangerous person to be around. The thought ticked Cole off.

"But Belle is very excited for classes!" he added happily. "I'm sure she'll be here soon!"

The teacher gave a confused expression before moving on. "Cole-kun, please choose a seat anywhere. I'm one of your teachers, Marie. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Cole smiled in return before scanning the seats. He immediately spotted Tsubaki and Black*Star sitting in one of the higher rows, with an open seat right next to the Japanese beauty. He silently thanked Kami-sama and walked up to sit next to her.

Tsubaki greeted him with her usual kind smile. "Hello, Cole-kun! I'm glad you could make it today!"

Cole smiled. "I'm glad to be here, Tsubaki-san. It's nice to get to see you all again."

Black*Star gave him a wave before resting his head back into his hands. Cole veered his eyes towards Marie, who resumed teaching now that the class had settled down. But something on the desk behind Marie had caught his attention.

It was a fairly large picture frame with a photo of a girl. The frame was surrounded by an array of flowers, with the only flower truly standing out to be a red rose. The girl had dark raven hair with streams of red strands that seemed to move with the wind. She had deathly pale skin and unique amethyst eyes that could pierce a soul. The girl was incredibly beautiful, that it made Cole's heart skip a beat. She had an innocent smile that could infatuated any onlooker. There was a name just beneath the photo, but he was too far away to even make it out.

Tsubaki tapped him on the shoulder. "Are you looking the girl in the photo?"

"Y-Yes," he stammered. "Is she a student here?"

A frown formed on Tsubaki's face, her eyes showing a great deal of sadness. "Yes, she was. And a very good friend."

"Was?"

She sighed, and entwined her fingers together. "Her name was Dani Salvatore. She was a very bright girl, and had the loveliest personality. Although people assumed her rebel look with her true self, she was a good person. She always put others before herself."

Cole stared back at the photo of Dani. The smile showed that Tsubaki's words rang true. "What happened to her?"

Tsubaki bit her bottom lip, which began to quiver. "In order to stop a witch from killing us and the school, she sacrificed herself for us. She died just as the sun began to rise."

There was a long pause. Cole looked down at the desk. The story was almost unbelievable. A girl her age sacrificing her life for the school. There was so much devotion behind it, so much rich emotion, that Cole was moved. Dani Salvatore had let herself be killed for everyone else's sake.

"I'm sorry, Tsubaki-san," Cole whispered. He must have put pressure on her to tell him about Dani. "I can tell you two were close."

"It's alright," she replied. She wiped a tear away and put on a small smile. "It's been a bit depressing lately, since Dani has been gone, and her partner had left a week after her death. It feels like a part of our close group of friends has a huge hole in it. It's quite saddening really."

"Don't worry, Tsubaki!" Black*Star rested a hand on his weapon's shoulder. "Charlotte still writes to us! And I'm sure she'll be back to say hi really soon! And you've got me, the amazing Black*Star!"

Tsubaki giggled. "Yes, of course I do." She smiled at Cole. "Would you and Belle like to come back for tea after school is over? Black*Star and I love having company. Maka, Soul, Kid, and the Thompsons will be joining us as well!"

Cole smiled wide and a feint blush appeared in his cheeks. "I'd love to!"

Just as he had said that, the door to the classroom slammed open. Cole jerked his head towards the sound to find Belle panting, holding almost ten thick folders filled with jumbled papers. Everyone stared at her in shock as she came next to Marie.

Belle bowed in front of the class, and gazed at the crowd with her piercing silver eyes. "I am Belle Starr, age fourteen, height 4'11. My partner is Cole Younger. We are glad to be attending classes today, but I'm afraid we won't be staying long."

Marie cocked her head to the side. "Why is that Belle-chan?"

The confident grin Cole knew so well spread across her lips. "Cole and I have business to attend to!"

After that statement, she shifted the folders to one hand and picked up her skirt to climb the stairs. She looked around and saw Cole, but to his surprise, she ended up sitting three rows below him, next to the quiet boy they had been accompanied by yesterday, Death the Kid. Cole watched as the two exchanged hateful looks to one another. It was a first to see Belle express so much in a day. Had the school started to change her?

Belle turned around and gave Cole the usual look. He nodded in reply and waited patiently until Marie's lessons were over. As soon as they were dismissed, Belle and Cole met each other at the lowest rows of desks.

"Who's the target?" he asked quickly.

"Just another hit list target. But the real mission are these." Belle placed the folders onto the nearest desk. "I went into a storage room and found these. Some are labeled with Arachnophobia and others are labeled with symbols of some organizations I don't recognize. I'm sure we'll find something about The Organization and its leading man if we search these."

"Don't get your hopes."

As Belle simply rolled her eyes, she turned to face Kid with a sharp look. "Oh, I didn't see you standing there. How convenient."

"I will be going with you on your little mission," he retorted.

Cole shifted nervously, sensing tension between the two. "Um, if I may ask, why are you coming with us?"

"Isn't it obvious? I don't trust you two. And in the agreement, Father said that you would be watched carefully. You also added, Ms. Starr, that if you did something out of turn, that you are to be dragged back to the school by your hair."

Belle's tongue clicked in annoyance. Cole sighed, knowing Belle was definitely having thoughts about Kid, and not the good kind. But Belle gave up and shrugged. "Fine, come along then. You'll get to see how I work."

Kid's face twisted in aggravation. "I will be watching your every move, Ms. Starr. Watch your actions. I don't trust your 'pure intentions' for a second."

As Kid walked out of the room, Belle slammed her fist down on the desk. "I hate that damn little brat."

Cole chuckled nervously. "Okay, let's just calm down. Once he sees us in action, he'll know we are a force to be reckoned with!"

Belle gave a cocky smile, and looked towards the window. "Our destination is Tokyo, Japan and the target is Aoi Minazuki. She was apparently very intimate with the boss in the days of their youth. She'll know something. I can feel it."

As Belle gathered the files and began sorting them out, Cole couldn't help but smile. Her determination showed again. It proved how much she cared for her brother and parents, how much she wants to avenge their deaths and bring justice to those who committed the crime. She wasn't cold, cruel, or emotionless. She was just a girl who had to grow up too fast.

And Cole knew that with the help of this school and even new friends, that Belle's true smile would be making its grand entrance soon.

* * *

**A/N: WHAT DO YOU THINK GUYS?! Ha. I'm so freaking hyper. It's 12:05am. ON A SCHOOL NIGHT! *such a rebel* **

**Um yeah that's all I have to say. Sorry if this is a disappointment. It's a bit rushed. I'm gonna try to make this story longer than Unbreakable Bond chapter wise. **

**Guys, if you love me, then you'll go read/watch ****Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne****. It's literally the best fucking romance ever. Probably not, but seriously read the manga. It's better than the anime. My heart hurts when I see Maron and Chiaki like being all cute and in love and stuff. Just goes to show how forever alone I am. TT-TT**

**REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!**

* * *

**Like Assassin's Creed? Check out my brand new fanfic, ****Downfall****, on my profile!**

**Like Legend of Zelda? Check out my postponed fanfic, ****The Forgotten Prophec****y, on my profile!**

**Like Rise of the Guardians? (BAHA. Of course you do. Jack Frost is fucking hot.) Check out my brand new fanfic, ****In The Frosted Air****, on my profile!**


	7. Chapter Seven

TwilightEternal412's _As Darkness Falls, Stars are Born_ has officially been updated!

**A/N:** So, I've noticed that my old opening and conclusions were very annoying. I feel very embarrassed about that. And obnoxious. Anyway, this is how I will be opening and concluding my chapters from now on!

Please forgive me for not updating! Many things came up last week, and there was no way I was going to finish this chapter in the allotted time I gave myself. But, since I know that I will have time now, I will be either posting from weekly to once every three weeks. I don't want to keep readers waiting!

Also, please excuse the errors in this chapter. iPads hate me. Autocorrect hates me. Blah.

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Seven - Aoi Minazuki and Tokyo, Japan! The Secret of the Elite Four?**

"You seem to be prepared," Belle said sarcastically.

Cole had gone back to the infirmary to retrieve fresh clothes and a duffel bag for the trip, but his face was cloaked in deep despair. His lip was quivering, as if he were restraining himself from whining. Belle sighed, because whenever her lecherous partner began to act like this, it meant he couldn't be with a girl he had his eyes on.

"I forgot to tell Tsubaki that we were going on a mission," he cried. Belle nodded to herself that she was right, he was attracted to Tsubaki. "She's probably waiting at her home, expecting me to show up! She must be so disappointed. What if she already made the tea? What if she's waiting by the door for me?!"

Belle rolled her eyes. "Cole, you really are such a tool. You always think some woman is waiting for you wherever we go. Don't worry about her, anyway. Focus on the task at hand."

"But Tsubaki-"

"Can wait until we return," Belle cut him off curtly. "I'm sure that she'll understand. Just shut up."

After slipping her dagger into the hilt on her belt, she looked back at Cole, who had seemed to shut up for the time being. The only one missing was the person she despised the most.

"Where the hell is that brat?" she muttered. She looked towards the clock that hung over the large chalkboard at the front of the room. It was almost six o'clock, way past time time Belle had hoped to depart at.

Cole heaved the duffel bag that was filled with the files Belle had collected earlier onto his shoulder. "Just be patient, Belle. Who knows? Maybe Kid could be of use to us?"

"No way in hell that guy could ever help us with what we are trying to accomplish. He doesn't understand anything. The little brat wants to rub the fact that he's in control of this mission in my face."

As if on cue, Kid and his weapon partners strode into the room, with Kid looking especially annoyed. Belle snickered at the thought of him hearing her new name for him. His liquid yellow eyes glared into her silver as he towered over her.

"I'd prefer it if you'd show some respect," he spoke quietly, though his voice was full of venom and malice.

It took every fiber of Belle's being not to punch the young Shinigami in the face right then and there. He had truly found a way to tease and torture her. Putting her increasing anger aside, she showed him one of her deceiving, childish smiles. "Of course! We're partners on this mission, after all!" She emphasized the word partners with a coo of her voice. She had to admit to herself that she was amused whenever she teased Kid. It was most entertaining.

Kid looked totally taken aback, eyes widening in shock. Even Liz noticed Belle's change of attitude and hesitantly took a step back. Patty looked back and forth between them, and began to laughter hysterically.

Belle mocked surprise. "That hurts me you know. I'm not that cruel!"

Kid snorted. "I beg to differ. From what Black*Star and Maka told me, you were so void of feeling that you struck fear into their very hearts. And that's coming from Black*Star personally."

Her brows furrowed. She bit her lip, looking hesitantly at him. It wasn't as if she didn't want emotion, it was just their were more important things at hand. Feelings and emotions would just get in the way.

Realizing the long pause after Kid's comment, she regained her composure and the amusement was wiped clean from her face. "If we don't leave now, we won't come back to Shibusen until the day after tomorrow. Get a move on."

She could feel confused glances being thrown her way by some, but she shrugged them off and walked towards the door of the classroom. When they didn't follow behind her, she glared back at them with her piercing silver gaze. "What did I say? Hurry up, or I'm leaving without you all."

That made every one of them, even Kid, shuffle quickly behind her as she walked to the entrance of the school. Once in the lobby, Belle turned to face them with a hard and serious stare.

"My mission is very important to me," she said firmly. "If you and your weapons get in my way, I have no guarantee that I won't hesitate to shoot you on the spot. And you will not interfere with my business once I find the person I'm looking for. Only Cole and I have permission to speak with that person, and execute our plan. I do not plan on filling you in on my engagements at all. Is that understood?"

Liz smiled and nodded in reply, while getting a "yay!" from an overhyped Patty. But, as expected, Kid began to open his mouth in angry protest, but was cut off by Belle's hand.

"Respect my terms, and I respect yours," she said rather bluntly. Yet, she could tell that Kid had believed the honesty in her words. It was also enough to make Kid shut his mouth. He grunted in reply.

Belle pushed the doors, and walked out into the frigid night of Death City. It was her first time actually seeing the city ever since she had arrived. The buildings were of odd architecture and it gave off a strange aura that only added to the city's mystery. Nonetheless, it was lively and interesting place. How had Belle never heard of it until just recently?

As they walked through the streets, it seemed the Cole had fallen into pace with the school's system. Her partner was chatting with the Thompson sisters in front of her, while, yet again, she was stuck with a sullen and frowning Kid. His hard eyes were fixed on the path ahead, not bothering to notice her presence. Not that she truly cared.

Kid always looked serious to her, and it reminded Belle much of herself. The last time they walked like this, she knew that the Kid she had met and the Kid before she even knew him were very, very different. Something in her head told her that Kid didn't always used to be like he is. A tragedy, one most like what happened to her, had occurred in his life. And he suffered every day, because something kept reminding him. That was the only thing that he and Belle had in common.

Looking back, when Belle took her seat next to him earlier in class, his eyes hadn't budged from the front of the class. But his eyes weren't fixated on the teacher; they had been staring longingly at a picture on the desk. Though, Belle didn't even think about it until now. What was so important about that picture...?

Belle stole a quick glance up at Kid, who still wore the depressed expression. The tense atmosphere between them made Belle...uncomfortable. It was unlike her to feel uneasy. She had never truly minded people or what they thought about her, but with Kid, she always felt like his intense judge mental gaze was always looking down on her. It might have been that Kid had seen her in one of the most vulnerable positions she could've possibly been in: when she was clinging to dear life on the train, after Aveline had nearly beaten her to death.

The thought of Aveline suddenly brought forth many questions about the woman. Looking back, Belle started to remember something about a group that the Organization, or most likely the Boss, hired for protection. The only way of finding a way to get closer to the

"The Elite Four," she muttered to herself.

"Did you say something?"

Belle jumped a little, startled by Kid's sudden desire of conversation. She glared up at him in response.

Kid challenged her with his own hard stare, ultimately resulting with Belle turning away. He sighed exasperatedly. "You said something, so spit it out rather than holding it back."

"As if you have the right to know my personal business," Belle retorted. "Are you deaf? Because I specifically remember saying that I have no intention of filling you in on any of my plans."

"What's the 'Elite Four?'"

Belle mentally slapped her forehead. She had said it out loud. Belle exhaled deeply. "Just leave me alone. It's nothing of importance to you, so why don't you just leave me be?"

All of a sudden, she could feel his gaze on her cheek. She was too startled to even return or even acknowledge it. If she could, she would run away with Cole right now, never looking back at Shibusen again. Why did Fate wish to torture her in such cruel ways? First, taking the lives of her loved ones before her very eyes, averting her attention from her revenge to a situation that has nothing to do with her, and now, pairing her up with the most detestable human being on the planet.

"I only ask because I do not trust you," he said sharply. "It is not as if I have concern."

Belle scoffed. "No need to be so formal. You sound like a rich boy with no emotion. I have no idea what the Elite Four is, but I intend on finding it out very soon."

Soon, she felt the burning sensation of his stare leave her face, and her body immediately relaxed. There was a dark feeling inside, something Belle knew all too well. Was it hatred? That was something she was sure she felt for Kid, but something else lingered. It was an emotion that she had never experienced before...

Pushing the thought aside, Belle averted her attention and focus back to the mission. The Bridge of Death City came into view and it seemed to go on for miles and miles at a time. The Thompson sister, Liz, was the first to stop and wait for her meister.

"Here we are," she announced.

They all stood there for a time, until Cole grew impatient and turned to Kid with an annoyed grimace. "Oi, Kid, why are we just standing here? We need to get a move on to Tokyo!"

Kid stepped in front of him and looked out towards the vast stony bridge. He lifted both hands, and pointed his fingers downward. The rings on his middle fingers begin to emit an eerie dark light that crept out of the skull ornaments and onto the ground. Soon, it began to form a shape, and then a solid green skate board with a Shinigami skull on the bottom. The board, strangely enough, had no wheels, but still floated in place. Kid stepped on the board and turned towards his partners.

"Liz, Patty," he said, "transform."

Liz groaned in frustration and Patty jumped for joy as the two were engulfed in a pink light. They reverted to their weapon forms, and Kid caught them with ease. He slipped his pinkie fingers around the triggers and turned his golden eyes to Belle and Cole, who seemingly had a dumbfounded lookup on their faces.

"Have your weapon transform," Kid commanded. "We are going to be traveling by Beelzebub, and there is only room for two."

"How long is this going to take exactly?" Cole asked pressingly. "I don't even have a clue where Death City is located on a map. The only thing I can tell is that we're in the middle of a desert."

Kid's eyes flashed irritation, but he kept calm. "This bridge can take you to a country of your choice in a matter of seconds. But it won't immediately teleport you to your preferred destination. Say we think of Japan, and we land in Kyoto. We would have to travel from there to Tokyo. Beelzebub helps shorten the distance in case we are not close to our pinpointed city."

Cole's eyes widened with interest. "That's amazing! Is this the power of Shinigami-sama?"

Kid nodded in reply, and waited impatiently for Cole to change into his weapon form. Once Cole did so, Belle didn't budge an inch. Kid glared at her, obviously not amused.

"What's the problem now?" he spat.

"I'm not getting on that thing. I'd rather go by horseback or car or plane than by some magical...thing," she stuttered. She didn't want to get on that contraption ever again. It went so high...

"Stop being an idiot and get on," Kid said, his voice getting louder.

But Belle stayed put. She didn't trust the board, and especially didn't trust Kid. Now he was expecting her to suddenly believe he won't throw her off the board?

"Erm, Belle," Liz's voice called from the pistol, "Kid isn't that bad. He wouldn't go killing people he didn't like right away."

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, COWGIRL!" Patty shouted cheerfully.

Belle's eye twitched at her new nickname. Her silver eyes sent daggers into the pistols, who immediately shut their mouths.

Cole sighed. "Belle, just get on. The more you dawdle, the more time we waste."

By this, Belle suddenly snapped to her senses. Hesitantly, she placed a cautious foot on the board. When it wavered under the pressure, she jumped back in shock. Se only stared at the board for a little longer, before sucking her breath and fully stepping into the board. It seemed to dip from the small weight added, and Belle acted in instinct and wrapped her arms around Kid's waist. She felt his body stiffen, but that wasn't her biggest concern. Belle was frightened of heights, though she hated to admit it to anyone, even Cole.

She had expected the Shinigami to reject her immediately, pushing her away from him and making her stand on her own. But to her surprise, he did not protest once. Instead, he kept his gaze ahead as the airboard rose off the ground and sped towards the end of the bridge. Belle strained her eyes open as they neared the end.

Kid shouted, "Think of Japan now!"

Belle thought of the country immediately, obeying his orders. She closed her eyes and imagined it in her head. When she opened them again, there was a flash of light, and the ground below was a vast range of buildings and cars. The noises of the city roared over the sound of the wind brushing against her face. They passed many billboards, all in kanji and characters Belle couldn't read.

They had made it to Tokyo.

Kid looked back at her halfheartedly, his mouth in a straight line. "It seems that we were lucky. We arrived in Tokyo immediately."

"Tokyo's amazing!" Cole exclaimed from the revolver. "I never thought that a city this big would be on such a small island!"

Liz's laugh rang through the air. "It's one of the largest cities in the world. I'm excited to be here. It might bring back some good memories of New York."

The chatter between the weapons continued as they began to land atop a nearby building in the heart of the city. Belle quickly got off and the cold ground met her face. She was grateful to be on the ground again. The sky was no place for her.

Then, she heard something interesting. Kid muttered under his breath, obviously not wanting to be heard, "Nothing like Dani."

Belle got up from the ground and looked at him in suspicion. Why would he compare her to "Dani?" Who was Dani anyway?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Cole's loud groan as he reverted back to his human form and stretched. "Being in weapon form can be tiring at times! It's so cramped!"

Liz rolled her eyes, stretching as well. "Tell me about it. A lot of weapons don't know how bad gun types have it."

Once they all were settled, Kid summoned Beelzebub back into his rings, and began walking towards the door. "Where are we supposed to go?"

Belle grabbed the duffel bag from around her shoulder, and grabbed the note that Eli had given her. "My target's name is Aoi. She lives in some kind of hotel just near where we landed. It goes by the name of Hageshi Okami."

Cole looked at his feet, and his eyes lit up. "The Fierce Wolf! That's what it translates to!"

"Do you know how to read kanji?" she asked intrigued.

Cole shook his head. "No, I only speak it, not read it."

Belle sighed, and turned to the others. "Do any of you know how to read kanji?"

Kid seemed a bit taken aback. "Of course I do. My father and mother are both of Japanese decent. And we speak it daily if you haven't noticed. Japanese is one of the main languages of Death City. I'm surprised you didn't notice."

Belle only nodded and waited for Kid to read the signs ahead of them, suppressing her annoyance. It was only a matter of minutes that Kid pointed to downward to a small, neon sign written in kanji with a picture of a wolf howling.

She turned, and bowed her head. "Impressive."

Kid only scoffed and opened the door of the building. Once they were all down on the bustling street, they walked towards the small hotel and stopped in front of the burgundy red door. Kid reached for the doorknob first, but Belle's hand caught his wrist.

"Don't do anything so stupid," she scolded. "If words gotten around, Aoi already knows who to expect. The Organization can be very resourceful. They know who I am now. We need to be careful."

But Kid seemed to be paying no attention to her words at all. He glared down at the hot touch of her skin against his. He forcefully tugged his pale wrist out of her olive hands and grabbed the golden knob.

The door creaked open as Kid pushed it. Inside was a small check-in desk with a homely woman with choppy black hair at the counter. She had piercing crimson eyes and slightly pink skin. A revealing blue tank top stuck to her contours, and the cleavage was being show much to excessively.

Belle immediately recognized this place as a whore house rather than a hotel.

The clerk looked up lazily from her magazine, as if it were a chore to move even an inch. Her black brows furrowed and her forehead wrinkled. She scanned Kid up and down before shutting her magazine and pushing it to the side.

"Do itta go yokendesu ka?" she asked in a slurred tone.

Belle only stared at her, not knowing how to reply. She knew how to speak it and knew how to translate some of the things Kid and the others had said a few times, but they had spoken in English for her sake. Belle wasn't very fluent in Japanese.

Cole patted his partner on the shoulder reassuringly. "She asked if she can help us with anything." He looked back at her with his flashy smile. Belle groaned. It was his signature lecher move. "Watashitachiha, yoru no tame ni taizai suru basho o hitsuyō to shite imasu, kudasai."

The woman's eyes widened at how fluent Cole's Japanese was. It seemed she realized that some were not, and she bowed in a halfhearted apology. "I am very sorry. We only have one room left that is fit for only two people. Is there anything else I could help you all with?"

It was Belle's turn to step up and ask. She felt Kid's gaze on her back. This was the time to prove herself. "I heard that a good friend of my mother's lives around here, so I was hoping you could help me find her. Her name is Aoi Minazuki. Do you know her?"

"Hmm," she groaned. The woman looked at Belle up and down before answering. "Yes, I do know of Aoi. Would you like to see her?"

Belle held in her smirk meant for Kid, and nodded respectively. The woman sighed and walked form behind the counter. She was shown to have a very slender body with gorgeous legs being complimented by black leather shorts. Her skin was pale and fragile, the light reflecting off the contours of her luxurious body.

She led them all to the back room, and Belle couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy from the strict and lurking danger in the atmosphere. She had expected as much, but not as soon as she walked through the door.

The woman opened a large velvet curtain that revealed a chaotic bedroom filled with smoke. The dim lighting only added to the mystery, and Belle strained her eyes to see inside. The woman stopped, followed by the rest of them, in front of a cot with a lounging figure on it.

"Oi, Aoi," she said irritated. "You've got some guests."

The figure stirred and the sheets were lifted to reveal an aged woman with dazzling amber eyes. Her lips were withered, yet still maintained the rose-like color. The chestnut hair was accented with strands of silver, rustled up from the way she slept. She still looked to be youthful even if the years had harsh ended her looks.

She sat up sleepily and rubbed her eyes, most like a child. They landed first on the clerk, then on Belle. Her eyes immediately widened in shock, and formed back into their lazy state. The woman studied the group behind Belle before sitting straight up. A big smile was plastered onto her face and she opened her arms wide for a stretch from her comfortable nap.

"I see," her husky voice chided, "let me get some pants on. You." Her slender finger shot at Belle immediately. "Stay in here while the others get comfortable next door. Natsuki, show out other guests the lobby."

The clerk, Natsuki, bowed her respects to the older woman (with a distasteful sneer in between) and ushered the group out of the room forcefully. Cole glanced back at Belle worriedly, but she gestured for him to go. As soon as everyone was filed out of the bedroom, Aoi looked at Belle stiffly, but no fear evident on her features.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you'd come to me," she spoke in a saddened voice. "It's not like I was asking for it."

Belle kept her eyes locked with the amber. "Aoi Minazuki, you were known to be very close with the Boss of the organization in your younger days, am I not correct?"

Aoi laughed heartily. "It's true, me and the Boss were good buds. We got along alright. But an employee can't have relationships with higher workers, sadly."

"You were an employee?" The astonishment in Belle's tone made Aoi raise a brow.

"Of course! Otherwise, I'd have never known what the Organization was, or what they did." Aoi got up and walked to the nearby pile of wrinkled clothes, and pulled out some black pants. As she put them on, she said, "I'll answer anything you want to know."

Belle restrained herself from looking aghast. This woman, Aoi, was willing to answer her? Without a fight?

Once Aoi finished dressing, she plopped back into the mattress and pointed the cushion in front of her. Belle cautiously took a seat, watching Aoi with a careful eye. After a period of silence, Belle coughed and began. "Do you remember-"

"Yes," Aoi cut off. "I remember the murder of your family crystal clear. I should know. I was there."

Belle felt her eyes turn to slits. She clenched her fists as she continued with a calm voice. "So you know why I have to do this?"

Aoi nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. I'd do it to if the ones I loved were killed right in front of me. I'll admit, I was a heartless bitch back then. But soon after, I left the Organization. I couldn't take how we worked things around there anymore."

"Why did you do what you did?" Belle's voice was quiet and steady, but there was a hint of grief behind it.

"What we did was all for one purpose: the Boss. Whatever he said was law, because he held-and still holds-a great power that we all wanted. Soon enough, he had an entire cult at his disposal. No one really knew what that power was, but from what I've heard, it could do a hell of a lot for a person with a lot of sins on his back."

Belle leaned forward, a bit intrigued. Aoi's lips curled into a smile, and she continued her story. "When I was recruited, they promised me that if I was good and did what the Boss wanted, Id have my hands on the ultimate power."

"How did you get so close to the Boss?"

Aoi chuckled darkly. "It wasn't easy, but I eventually gained the trust of the Boss by doing everything I was told, no questions asked. I was the go-to girl, who did anything the Boss asked. I was greedy. I wanted the power all to myself. I was plotting the Boss's own demise at the thought of having the power. And yet, the bastard trusted me, the one who despised the Boss most. It was fun, pretending to be faithful to someone you hate, but soon, the missions and tasks I was granted soon drove me to insanity. The blood and the unlawful murder was the last straw. Actually, I quit right after I witnessed your family's murder."

Belle studied her target carefully. There was not a hint of dishonesty in Aoi's glistening amber eyes. They were full of remorse and bitter memories she could not erase. Her heart ached for the old woman, but she kept reminding herself that everyone who was responsible...

Must die.

Aoi noticed Belle's falter, and gave her a warm smile. "Hey, kid, don't mind me. I'm old. I've lived my life. I've been living in this shit-worth place ever since I quit. Living with Natsuki is the most unbearable torture a person can ever go through. But she got me back on the right track." Her amber eyes glistened and brightened at the name of the hotel clerk. "Natsuki is like the daughter I never had. She may be a bit disdainful of people, but she's a very caring, sweet girl. I guess you could say she melted the ice that covered my heart."

The smile that Aoi wore was sincere and loving. Belle studied it carefully, watching as the old woman looked back on her days with Natsuki. Could someone actually change a person just like that?

Belle shook the thought away. Emotions only held you back. This woman may have changed, but she could never atone for the sins she committed. Especially when it came to killing Bud.

"I have two more crucial questions," Belle said, not looking Aoi in the eye.

Aoi looked up curiously. "Hai?"

Taking a deep breath, Belle asked, "Who is the man that killed my brother?"

There was a long pause. Aoi's amber eyes stared at Belle for a long time, empathy showing on her frown. She sighed. "I killed no one on that day; only carried the money the Boss was after. But the man who killed your brother? He was something else entirely. I can't recall his name, since the group I worked with wasn't my usual, but I do remember that he had a long scar starting at his right eye, running all the way down to his chin. It was grotesque to look at."

Belle breathed, finally realizing she had a huge clue into tracking down the main murderer. She sighed with relief, and looked at Aoi with fierce silver eyes. "My last question: What is the Elite Four?"

Aoi's eyes widened in fear. They darted back and forth across the room before leveling with Belle's once again. Her breaths were quicker and more forceful, as if the mere mention of their names was taboo.

After giving her a moment to calm down, Aoi grabbed Belle by the shoulders and stared into the silver rims warningly. "Please listen to what I tell you and listen well, kid. The Elite Four are the Boss's main bodyguards. They're people with special talents and powers like you've never seen. They're rumored to have pieces of the power with them, protecting the, for their beloved Boss. They are dangerous. Once they find their target, they kill on sight. If you ever encounter one, run. But if you're brave enough to fight them, make sure you grab the pieces of the power, and destroy them. The power is something beyond this world. I've never seen it myself, but I've heard plenty about it to know that it's real."

"I've already met one," Belle choked the reply. "Aveline Evergreen."

Aoi enlarged her eyes once again, and sat back down onto the bed, her hands never leaving Belle's shoulders. "Aveline is the weakest of the four, but she is still a threat. She has immense strength, unnatural for one her size. If you ever meet her again, make sure to get the pieces. If you seek revenge on the Boss, the best way to kill him is by destroying each piece of the power."

The sweet words sunk in Belle's mind, and her heart jumped with newfound excitement. The Elite Four held the key to destroying the Organization. She was so close to victory, the thought excited her.

Belle stood up abruptly, feeling Aoi's hands slacken off her shoulders. She gave a broad smile to the old woman. "Aoi Minazuki, I had planned on killing you, but since you've enquired enough information, I'm letting you live. But if I found out anything that involves you with the Organization ever again, I will not hesitate to slit your throat."

Aoi held back her tears of relief. Belle patted the old woman on the shoulder reassuringly, not truly knowing where she had come to be so comforting to others. "Stay safe, Aoi."

Belle pulled back the velvet curtain in a chipper mood, only to find her mouth gaping in absolute horror.

The scene before her was a replay of what had happened to her all those years ago. Except in place of her brother, the clerk Natsuki laid on the ground with blank, expressionless eyes, drowning in a pool of her own blood. The gruesome seen before her was imprinted into her mind forever, and she heard a shrill cry of pain from behind her.

Aoi stared at her beloved Natsuki in grief, terror, and absolute pain. The sight of the one she cared for most dead on the ground left her out of words to speak. Tears were streaming down her face, the mascara on her charcoal eyelashes staining her cheeks.

Belle came back to reality, burying her fears deep within her heart. She frantically ran from the room in search of the others, and silently breathed when she saw the back of Kid holding his weapons, alongside Cole, who's hand was in weapon form. They stood in front of a familiar woman, her dark skin covered in crimson blood.

Her crystal blue eyes gleamed with pleasure and amusement as she watched the two Shibusen students fight her uselessly. The light blue frilly dress she wore was soaked in more blood, possibly Natsuki's. She held two broad sharp katanas in each hand, an insane and cruel smile breaking on her lips. The horrifyingly familiar cackle pierced Belle's ears. Her face twisted in disgust as she screamed the woman's name out in pure hatred and disdain.

**"Aveline!"**

* * *

**A/N:** I apologize once more for the long delay in updating! I hope this chapter met all of the readers expectations!

Aoi is a very special character to me. She's very symbolic in the story, so I hope you recognize what she represents! I don't want to give too much away! :P

Please review! I love to know what readers are thinking so far and how I can improve my writing skills to the best of my abilities! And I'd appreciate no silent readers for the time being, so if you read, don't be scared to leave a review!

REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!

*Currently an active BetaReader*


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